Full Biography for Chris Ferrell

Candidate for
Council-At-Large

Ferrell, 29, surprised the Nashville political pundits in 1995 by becoming the youngest person ever to win a seat on the Metro Council. On the Council he has served as chairman of both the Education committee and the ad hoc International committee. In addition to dealing with the many issues that have come before the Council this term, Ferrell has been responsible for several major initiatives. Ferrell sponsored legislation adopted by the council that created the Historic Zoning District for Second Avenue and requiring Sexually Oriented Businesses to comply with strict licensing requirements. He also initiated a partnership with the YWCA to build a new domestic violence shelter. Ferrell recently hosted an affordable housing summit attended by almost 300 community leaders to launch an effort to improve access to affordable housing and home ownership for approximately 35,000 working families in Nashville.

"This term I have tried to focus my efforts on the issues I promised to address when I ran four years ago: safer neighborhoods, better schools, and planned growth that protects our quality of life," said Ferrell. "I am asking the voters of Nashville to allow me another four years to continue working to improve our public schools, reduce crime, increase the availability of affordable housing, strengthen our local economy, and address regional transportation issues. I also will continue efforts to revitalize our older urban neighborhoods so they can be vibrant, desirable communities in which to live and work."

Ferrell is employed as the Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at Telalink, a Nashville-based Internet Service Provider. He holds a B.A. from Furman University and a Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt Divinity School.

In addition to his Council work, Ferrell volunteers in the community by serving a number of non-profit boards. He is the Past President of the Board of the Council of Community Services, the Vice Chairman of the Community Services Advisory board, and a board member of the Nashville Housing Fund, the Global Center, the Pencil Foundation, and NashvilleREAD. He is a member of Glendale Baptist Church. The little free time that Chris has left after work, community activities and serving on the Council, he spends with his wife Molly and young sons Jackson and Patrick.

For more information about Chris Ferrell, you may visit his web site at http://www.chrisferrell.com