Chattanooga mayor names chief operating officer, deputy administrator for community development

Contributed photos from City of Chattanooga / Erskine Oglesby, left, Ryan Ewalt, right.
Contributed photos from City of Chattanooga / Erskine Oglesby, left, Ryan Ewalt, right.

A former city councilman and an assistant vice president at Unum have been appointed to Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly's senior leadership team.

Ryan Ewalt will serve as the city's chief operating officer, and Erskine Oglesby has been named deputy administrator for community development. Ewalt and Oglesby will assume their appointed roles in late November, according to a news release issued this week.

Ewalt, an assistant vice president and officer at Chattanooga-based Unum Group, joins the mayor's office with "17 years of operations experience spanning the insurance, automotive and consulting industries," the release stated. Ewalt will oversee the daily operations of municipal government and will also be responsible for organizational success within and across departments, city officials said.

Oglesby previously served on the Chattanooga City Council representing District 7 from 2017 to 2021 and has prior experience in corporate engagement for the United Way of Greater Chattanooga and business services for the Southeast Tennessee Development District.

Oglesby has also held board-governance roles with the Dodson Avenue Community Health Center, the Bessie Smith Cultural Center, WTCI-TV and other community organizations.

"It's a thrill to bring my professional and volunteer experience in community service to such an impactful role for the city I love," Oglesby said in the release.

Oglesby ran unsuccessfully for mayor this past spring.

Kelly said in a statement that accompanied Monday's announcement that he is "excited that Ryan and Erskine will be bringing their skills, experience and heart for public service to the city of Chattanooga."

- Compiled by Kiara Green

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