Chris Devaney will have his mind on children as the new head of a Chattanooga-based nonprofit organization, and some may say nothing has changed for him after heading a state political party.
But if the Lookout Mountain resident is able to make the same strides as executive director of the Children's Nutrition Program of Haiti as he did as chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party, more Haitian children will have a better life.
Under Devaney, who followed another successful party leader, 2010 3rd District congressional candidate Robin Smith, Republicans won the governorship, increased the state's United States congressional delegation to seven (of nine possible seats), took control of the General Assembly and helped the party achieve super-majorities in both the state House and state Senate.
The party's "Red to the Roots" campaign, under his leadership, also helped local Republicans win, and he told Times Free Press Nashville Bureau reporter Andy Sher that the party also made strides in organization and fundraising.
Devaney deserves a great deal of thanks from those who believe the party offers serious ideas and common-sense leadership for the state.
He, like others including U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., before him, was touched by church mission trips to the beleaguered country.
Since 1998, the Children's Nutrition Program has attempted to bring heath care, nutrition and education to the Caribbean island's most vulnerable residents. Among its successes was a drop in the acute malnutrition rate in Leogane from 24 percent in 1998 to 3 percent in 2011. We look forward to seeing Devaney's leadership help achieve even more success.