Disclaimer: The comments in this blog are my personal opinion and may or may not reflect an adopted position of the city of Glendale and its city council.
Mr. Gunn hails from Peoria, Illinois where he held the position of CEO of the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce. He also worked in North Carolina as vice president of member investment of the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce. He becomes the President and CEO of the Glendale Chamber in June of this year.
I welcome Mr. Gunn and wish him much success in growing the Chamber’s membership and assisting its members to thrive and succeed. In a recent Phoenix Business Journal article Mr. Gunn said, “Glendale stands as the epicenter within the rapidly expanding West Valley, and I am fully committed to harnessing the collective power of our diverse community and continuing the tradition of excellence at the Glendale Chamber. We will foster a collaborative culture among our members, both large and small, visionary business leaders, in tandem with our dedicated staff and esteemed non-profit, educational, and community leaders, to forge a more prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable future for all.”
It appears that Mr. Gunn embraces DEI (diversity, equality, and inclusion). It is hoped that he will work to achieve those goals within the framework of the philosophy of the Chamber. However, he is not an elected leader within Glendale’s city government.
The City Council’s goals are broader than this one issue. We look to grow Glendale, culturally, socially, and economically. Our job includes maintaining and improving basic infrastructure, providing reliable and cost-effective services, supporting our public safety, and maintaining a sound financial structure.
Glendale is a diverse community, and the following statistics validate that claim:
White 44.3%
Hispanic 38.7%
Black 7.9%
Asian 3.7%
Native American 1.4%
Other 4.0%
There is not a problem in Glendale in search of a solution. If Mr. Gunn believes that is not the case, if he becomes a Glendale resident, I would urge him to apply for Glendale’s Commission on Cultural Diversity and to work within that framework to strengthen our diversity.
Mr. Gunn is also a hip hop artist and goes by the stage name of Ahmaud Arbery. As a hip hop artist, this is an Instagram snapshot of his work: https://www.instagram.com/p/B_50ZgrnhwB/?igsh=OG9tM3NzMmFoMnBs
Again, I welcome him to Glendale and wish him much success.
© Joyce Clark, 2024
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