Candidate for
Mayor; City of Cincinnati

Charles E. Winburn has resided in Cincinnati, Ohio his entire life and has developed a tremendous devotion to his community. He is a graduate of Hughes High School and the University of Cincinnati where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Urban Management and Master's Degree in Social Foundations of Education. In addition, he completed the Urban Leaders Program at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Charlie Winburn has had to work hard to overcome many obstacles in his childhood. His parents were among the working poor who fought everyday to day to earn a living and support their children. His father, Charles Winburn Sr., earned minimum wage as a horse trainer and as an iron laborer before his death in 1981. When Charlie was ten, his mother tragically passed away at the young age of 31. After his mother's death, Charlie lived with his cousins for a few months and later resided in several Cincinnati foster homes such as the Allen House, a Price Hill shelter for abandoned children. As a result of his childhood experiences, Winburn strives to serve others that similarly desire achievement.

Charles Winburn is a visionary. He is the founder of The Encampment Church located in College Hill. The four million dollar facility includes a Child Care Learning Academy for 125 children and a new 15,000 square foot building that is used for workshops, worship services, musical services and community meetings. The campus was dedicated in July and serves as a bastion of comfort for College Hill residents.

Charlie is also responsible for collaborating with the Church in College Hill and the Tuwshiyah Community Development Corporation, a faith-based organization, to construct approximately 30 new single-family homes proposed for College Hill in 2006.

Charles Winburn has led a progressive career in public service, policy-making and administration. He served seven years as an elected City Council member and 15 years in various administrative/management positions in public and non-profit organizations working aggressively for the betterment of the City of Cincinnati.

As a member of the Cincinnati City Council from 1993 to 2001, Winburn established policies that improved the quality of life for Cincinnatians and promoted economic growth. While serving in this capacity, he also chaired the Law and Public Safety Committee which focused on developing legislative reforms that encouraged council to focus on crime and safety issues. Charlie served on the Finance Committee where he set policy direction for the City's $1.2 billion dollar biennium budget. He chaired various other committees including the Subcommittee on Tourism, which operated to improve the city's amenities to attract tourists.

Winburn previously served as Executive Director of a public policy think tank where he conducted policy analysis of issues regarding public interest and developed initiatives to raise awareness of public welfare matters.

Charlie also served as Deputy Director of Ohio's Department of Administrative Services and as Executive Director of the State Employee Compensation Board in the Cincinnati office.

In February 2001, Governor Bob Taft appointed Winburn as a Commissioner to the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. Charlie is one of five Commissioners to rule on discrimination complaints statewide.

When Charlie Winburn was approached to run for mayor in 2001, he declined in order to focus on his family and community service. Most importantly, his wife, Coleen Winburn, was undergoing chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer at the time. Coleen is now fully recovered.

Charlie and his wife, Coleen, dedicate their time to raising their four children. Three of the four children continue to reside in Cincinnati while their son, Carlos, resides in Atlanta, Georgia.

Charles and Coleen will be married for 25 years on November 8, 2005, Election Day. The importance of their anniversary is a representation of the commitment and loyalty Charlie Winburn will bring to the City of Cincinnati.