Tuscaloosa City Council
Which position did Walt Maddox hold from Oct 2001 to Oct 2005?
Walt Maddox Walter Thomas Maddox ( born December 27 , 1972 ) is an American politician who has served as the 36th Mayor of Tuscaloosa , Alabama since 2005 . From 2001 to present , he served on the Tuscaloosa City Council and served as executive director of personnel for Tuscaloosa City Schools . Maddox was a field director for the Alabama Education Association from 1996 to 2001 . In 2005 , he successfully ran for Mayor of Tuscaloosa and has been re-elected three times . In 2018 , Maddox was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Alabama , losing to incumbent Republican Kay Ivey in the general election . Early life and career . Maddox was born and raised in Tuscaloosa , attended the Tuscaloosa City Schools , and graduated from Central High School in 1991 . He attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham , where he received a bachelors degree in political science and a Masters in Public Administration . From 1996 to 2001 , Maddox served as a field director for the Alabama Education Association . In 2001 , Maddox was appointed executive director of personnel for Tuscaloosa City Schools , serving until his election as mayor . On August 28 , 2001 , Maddox was elected to the Tuscaloosa City Council , defeating incumbent Clell Hobson , 61% to 39% . Maddox ran on a platform of education reform and crime reduction . Mayor of Tuscaloosa . In 2005 , longtime Tuscaloosa mayor Al DuPont retired . Maddox was an underdog against former city councilman Sammy Watson . Maddox came in second place in the initial round of voting , receiving 31.1% to Watsons 38% . This forced a runoff on September 13 , which Maddox won with 54% of the vote to Watsons 46% . Maddox was inaugurated on October 3 , in front of Tuscaloosa City Hall . On August 25 , 2009 , Maddox was re-elected without opposition . Maddox was re-elected again without opposition on August 27 , 2013 . On November 4 , 2013 , Walter Maddox was sworn in for his third term as Tuscaloosa’s 36th Mayor . Since his first inauguration , he has led initiatives to increase economic development , improve customer service with the implementation of Tuscaloosa 311 and provide quality pre-k education for academically at-risk four-year-old children . For the first time since 2005 , Maddox faced a challenger in the 2017 mayoral election . His opponent was the founder of the Urban Progressive Party , Stepfon Lewis . Maddox defeated Lewis by receiving 89% of the vote to Lewiss 11% . Maddox was sworn into his fourth term as Mayor on May 22 , 2017 . On March 2 , 2021 , Maddox was elected to his fifth term as Mayor , garnering 56% of the vote . He defeated University of Alabama professor Dr . Serena Fortenberry , and former University of Alabama football player Martin Houston . 2011 Tuscaloosa tornado . On April 27 , 2011 , a large tornado struck Tuscaloosa and Birmingham , killing 53 people in Tuscaloosa and inflicting $927 million in damage to the city . Two days later , Maddox toured the tornado damage with public officials including President Barack Obama and Governor Robert Bentley . The EF-4 tornado destroyed 12 percent of the city and severely damaged or destroyed 5,300 homes and businesses . Maddox was widely praised for his leadership in the aftermath of the storm . The The Wall Street Journal described the Tuscaloosa disaster response as an attempt to courageously create a showpiece of unique neighborhoods that are healthy , safe , accessible , connected , and sustainable . Harvard Kennedy School crisis leadership fellow . Maddox is currently a fellow with the Program on Crisis Leadership at the Harvard Universitys Kennedy School of Government . He was promoted to senior fellow within the program in August 2019 , where he will partner with the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative’s executive education courses to discuss lessons he learned during Tuscaloosas tornado recovery efforts . 2018 Alabama gubernatorial election . On October 5 , 2017 Maddox announced his plans to run for Governor of the state of Alabama , saying Republican leadership had failed the state , which still ranks near the bottom in every quality-of-life indicator from education to healthcare . He won the June 5 primary with 54.6% of the vote , defeating former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb . In November he was defeated by the Republican incumbent governor , Kay Ivey in the general election . Maddox ran as a pro-life , pro-Second Amendment candidate . Endorsements . - January 2 , 2018 : Lars Anderson writer and journalist - April 19 , 2018 : The Crimson White - April 26 , 2018 : New South Coalition - April 30 , 2018 : Ron Sparks - May 16 , 2018 : West Alabama Labor Council - May 17 , 2018 : Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin - May 19 , 2018 : Alabama Democratic Conference - Mar 23 , 2018 : Roger Bedford Personal life . On December 27 , 1998 , Maddox married Robin Maddox , a realtor . After having one daughter , Taylor , together , Walt and Robin divorced in 2008 . On June 26 , 2010 , Maddox remarried , to Stephanie Nicole Roberts . Their son , Eli , was born in 2013 .