What has prepared you for this position?
One of the greatest experiences preparing me to be Bloomington’s mayor is being a business owner and entrepreneur. I’m intimately familiar with the needs and wants of the local business community and what roadblocks hamper growth. I’ve helped more than a dozen owners grow their businesses, and I myself have launched and grown businesses locally, including ZDI (now Room Ready), Presto Media, Immanuel Health Center, Prairie Emergency Group, Primus Trauma Care, Skin in the Game, and QikPix. I’ve worked with local leaders, labor unions, hospital administrations, universities, city officials, and nonprofits. These have given me experience in contract negotiations, insurance coverage, legal proceedings, human resources, strategic financial management, and marketing. I can see the big picture by noting how all the pieces contribute to the…