Chip Baker, the longtime executive director of the Riverbend Festival and a former District 2 school board member and chairman, is seeking election to the Hamilton County Commission.
Baker is unopposed in the May 1 Republican primary and will face Democrat Elizabeth Baker, who is no relation, in the Aug. 2 county general election.
Baker said in a news release that over his 20 years as Riverbend director, the festival has grown to more than 400,000 spectators and provides a $29.6 million boost to the Hamilton County economy.
"Growing up in a small community, I was taught that actions speak louder than words," Baker said in a news release. "That's why I believe it is not enough to talk about economic development. We must work together to help push Hamilton County to greater heights."
He has lived in the district for more than 20 years with his wife, Karlette, and four children. He served three terms on the Hamilton County Board of Education and was chairman from 2003-2006 before giving up his seat in 2012.
He worked with residents of Signal Mountain and Walden to build the Signal Mountain Middle/High School and Normal Park Upper School, and he helped develop plans for the new Red Bank Middle School. He has served for four years as a student mentor in the statewide Tennessee Achieves program.
"If elected, I pledge to represent all residents of District 2 with the utmost respect and dignity. My family and I take great pride in our community because it has given us so much," Baker said in the release.
Baker said his Riverbend experience has allowed him to form strong bonds with leaders of Hamilton County.
"One of the main reasons I decided to run was that I have a unique perspective in that I deal with private business leaders and elected officials on a daily basis and would be able to hit the ground running without a learning curve," he said.
"Hamilton County is a bustling community with a real economic drive and I am ready to help it take the next step forward."
Early in his career, he was named the youngest hospital CEO in America at only 27. As head of Children's Hospital at Erlanger, he was responsible for more than 900 employees and $66 million in annual revenue and was able to cut expenses by 20 percent while increasing productivity, he said in the news release. He also established a school health program that has served more than 45,000 local students.
Baker said he has a deep understanding of issues such as education, workforce and economic development and public safety. He serves on the boards of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce and the Chattanooga Convention and Visitors Bureau and is a past board member of the Children's Advocacy Center, the Ronald McDonald House and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He is a graduate of Leadership Chattanooga and a member of the Chattanooga Rotary Club.