About Alex

Hi, I’m Alex Wan and I am running for Atlanta City Council President. I am currently in my second term representing Atlanta City Council District 6, serving Ansley Park, Brookwood Hills, Druid Hills, Lindbergh/Morosgo, Lindridge/Martin Manor, Morningside/Lenox Park, Midtown, Piedmont Heights, Sherwood Forest, and Virginia-Highland. The past seven years have inspired me to broaden my service to all Atlantans, beyond my neighbors in the sixth district.

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Growing Up

My commitment to public service comes from my family. When my parents moved to Atlanta from South Carolina, I was three and we were among only a handful of Asian American families. My parents knew they had to help shape our community. They quickly embraced leadership roles, creating civic organizations to engage our neighbors and friends. My sister and I followed their example, stepping up in high school, including my term as statewide president of the Georgia National Honor Society.​
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Raised in Atlanta, I am a proud product of the DeKalb County School System and a graduate of Georgia Tech – one of the world’s leading public research universities located right here in Atlanta. (Go Jackets!)

Early Activism & Leadership

My diverse professional experience in the private, public, non-profit and higher education sectors drives my vision for our city. I was a small business owner and worked as an investment analyst, which helped develop my strong financial management skills. As your City Council President, I’ll continue to make data-driven fiscal decisions for our city, always through a lens of transparency and sustainability. Raising money for Jerusalem House (Atlanta’s largest HIV/AIDS housing provider) reinforced my commitment to providing support for our most vulnerable residents. My “day job” now is working in development at Emory University, where I witness every day the power of education and research.

My Vision for Atlanta

My vision for our city comes from my heart. In part, my respect for Atlanta is rooted in our rich Civil Rights history. In 2010, I became the first Asian American to serve on our City Council, this historical moment made possible only because leaders like John Lewis, Andrew Young, and others who fight tirelessly for an inclusive city. I also am the first openly gay man elected to our City Council.
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​Last year I worked with other members of the Council to introduce a resolution to denounce Georgia’s proposed RFRA legislation, a bill that would have legalized discrimination against the LGBTQ community and hurt our business community. Atlanta City Council unanimously passed the resolution, stating unequivocally that Atlanta values diversity and is welcoming to all.
 
I'm proud of my achievements on City Council, but know we have much more work to do. I am concerned about the lack of affordable housing options for our seniors and for our workforce, from teachers and first responders to artists and service workers. I am troubled by the unequal education system hurting our children’s ability to succeed. I am alarmed by the ethics violations and corruption at City Hall. Politics-as-usual cannot be our way forward.
 
I am running to strengthen our City, by working with all Atlantans, to build strong communities, leading with the spirit of transparency, collaboration and inclusivity.

• Achievements
• Resume

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Champion of fiscal responsibility

• Helped grow cash reserves from $7 million to ~$175 million.
• Passed sweeping employee pension reform to address the estimated $1.5 billion unfunded pension liability.
• No votes to raise property taxes.

 A natural consensus-builder

• Develops effective relationships.
• Gets things done and keeps us moving forward.

 Committed to community service

• Leadership Atlanta, Leadership DeKalb (Past Board Chair).
• www.ForTheKid.org all-volunteer children’s non-profit (Founder).
• Piedmont Park Conservancy (Board).
• Little Five Points Community Improvement District (Board).
• Atlanta Development Authority – now Invest Atlanta (Treasurer/Finance Committee Chair).
• Organization of Chinese-Americans (Past President).
• Atlanta Volunteer Chair and Atlanta Federal Club (donor circle) Co-Chair for the Human Rights Campaign (Former).
• Board, Asian American Heritage Foundation (Former).
• Insurance Commissioner’s Better Georgia Executive Round Table (Former).
• Governor’s Small Business Advisory Council (Former).

 Staunch neighborhood advocate

• Helped expand police force, reducing crime by double-digit percentages.
• Champions tech and innovation for public safety officers.
• Majority of District 6 budget spent improving our district.

Alex’s Leadership on Atlanta City Council

• President Pro Tempore, 2015.
• Chair; City Utilities Committee, 2017.
• Chair, Finance/Executive Committee, 2014-2016.
• Chair, Zoning Committee, 2012.
• City of Atlanta Budget Commission, 2010, 2012-2016.
• Commission on Waste and Inefficiency in Government, 2014.

Deep roots in Atlanta

• Raised in Atlanta.
• Proud product of DeKalb County Schools.
• Morningside homeowner for 20+ years.
• Active longtime member of the Morningside Lenox Park Neighborhood Association.
• Morningside Lenox Park Association Business Liaison, 2008.

Fun facts

• Alex is bilingual and speaks Mandarin.
• He is a fitness enthusiast – a certified SCUBA diver + has completed marathons (including the Peachtree!) and half marathons.
• He is a beekeeper with two hives. 
• Chicken farmer – currently has seven hens.
• Avid supporter of water conservation and sustainable parks.
• A coupon guru.

Education and experience

• Bachelor of Industrial Engineering/Georgia Tech.
• MBA (Finance)/Wharton Business School.
• Small business owner/engineering firm (Former).
• Development Director/Jerusalem House (Former)
• Director of Development & Alumni Relations/Emory University.

Kudos

• Georgia Trend Magazine’s Forty Under 40.
• Georgia Asian Times, 25 Most Influential Asian Americans in Georgia.