The Job of the Mayor is to Get Things Done! During His 4 Years in the Mayor’s Office George Got Things Done for Anchorage. As Mayor, He’ll Do More!
- Expanded access to the municipal procurement process for women and minority-owned businesses.
- Spearheaded the development of public/ private partnerships between the Municipality of Anchorage, UAA/ UAF, local businesses, and advanced aviation firms leading to cost savings across multiple departments and driving a framework for R&D investments.
- Championed the creative economy as one of the emerging economic pillars of Anchorage. Hosted a mayoral summit that brought together cultural and high tech industry leaders to develop a road map for city leaders.
- Spearheaded the US Conference of Mayors and MLB’s designation of Anchorage as a Play Ball City driving the possibility of bringing Major League Baseball to Anchorage.
- Spearheaded the public/ private partnership to improve destination Anchorage through cultural and creative placemaking and developed the Welcoming Anchorage Downtown art map.
- Created the Welcoming Anchorage at Ted Stevens airport media campaign to enhance the visitor greetings.
- Served as the mayoral appointee to the JBER working group, focusing on deepening soldiers’ integration into off base civic and economic life.
- Saved the city millions of dollars of real estate liabilities. (Grandview Gardens)
- Led mayoral designation of the Downtown Design District, home to the $1million Bloomberg prize.
- Secured resources to help displaced workers get back into the workforce via the Job Shop program at the Anchorage Public Library.
- Worked to keep the Cooperative Extension operating in Anchorage through a partnership with Loussac Library.
- Created the Anchorage Arts Fund at the Alaska Community Foundation to support local placemaking and arts organizations.
- Co-produced the UAA Citywide Job Fair relaunch, which helped over 1000 people find new job opportunities.
- Revamped Anchorage Police Department’s deaf person interaction tool to improve accountability and ADA compliance.
- Served as a member of the leadership team for Welcoming Anchorage – spearheaded – the connected, safe, and healthy pillar.
- Combated graffiti vandalism with volunteer public art initiatives targeting Downtown and Hyder Street in Fairview.
- Spearheaded programs to strengthen police-community relations and improve diversity recruitment efforts.
- An original member of the advisory board for Anchorage Cops for Community.
- Led mayoral post-earthquake efforts to distribute emergency supplies and readiness kits to seniors and other vulnerable groups.
- Secured resources to support the municipality’s wildfire mitigation initiatives including the firewise home assessment program.
- Created and led the innovative Path to Purpose Cradle to Career and Beyond Initiative, which helped improve educational beginnings, raise graduation rates and strengthen workforce readiness.
- Championed early childhood education and a portion of the local marijuana sales tax towards early childhood education and after school.
- Led the integration agreement between the Municipality and UAA to reduce costs, improve operations, deepen our research and workforce development relationship, amplify the UMED Innovation District, and bring UAA Downtown.
- Served as the Anchorage representative to the National League of Cities for Education.
- Member of the UAA Chancellor’s advisory board.
- Member of the ASD’s Multicultural Education Committee.
- Promoted early literacy through the Wild About Reading book giveaway at Kids Day.
- Created the downtown art trashcan initiative, a sustained placemaking/ stewardship partnership between Anchorage School District, Solid Waste Services, and the Anchorage Downtown Partnership.
- Reestablished the Anchorage Youth Advisory Commission and led the creation and appointment of the Youth Representative to the Assembly, making Anchorage one of the first ten cities in the nation to do so.
- Led the mayoral declaration of Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month.
- Spearheaded the US Conference of Mayors and MLB’s designation of Anchorage as a Play Ball City to renew community sports’ passion and importance and bring Major League Baseball to Anchorage.
- Coordinated the protection of the children’s health and neurological development through the Healthy Babies Bright Future Program.
- Secured grant funding to replace all dangerous nap mats in every licensed childcare facility.
- Mentored dozens of youth and emerging leaders over the last decade+.
- Facilitated the mayoral designation of Indigenous Peoples Day in Anchorage.
- Spearheaded all municipal boards and commissions’ modernization to reduce barriers, increase representation, and improve mayoral accountability.
- Advised the creation of the Office of Equity and Justice as a tool to embed those values in a role that could provide proactive oversight.
- Helped save a BIPOC supportive community radio station.
- Served as a member of the leadership team for Welcoming Anchorage and helped drive the municipality’s language access plan forward.
- Member of the Alaska Native Dialogues on Racial Equity initiative.
- Co-founder of the Turn Up The Vote Democracy Festival.
- Co-founder of We Are Anchorage, a civic group formed in response to street violence and local racism.
- Host/ supporter of the Bridge Builders of Anchorage, whose mission is to make Anchorage the first city without prejudice.
Over the past 25 years, George has served as an executive director of a nonprofit organization, small business owner, Assistant Director of Intergovernmental Relations for the NYS Attorney General, an adjunct professor, was appointed under the Bush and Obama administrations as a Cultural Envoy for the Western Hemisphere, and served as Anchorage’s Special Assistant to the Mayor for Economic Development, Education, Youth Development and Diversity. He has diverse skills and practical experience we need to deliver real results.