Track Record of Giving Back and Getting Things Done That is ‘Deep and Wide’
By Tribune Staff
NASHVILLE, TN — In the last 20 years, the work that Jerry Maynard has gotten done for North Nashville and the Black community is second to none.
“To be effective for the community, you have to know when to fight, how to unite and never lose focus on getting things done,” Maynard said. “I’ve done everything in my power, whether it was through faith-based groups, nonprofits, the private sector or government service to get things done on economic, healthcare and social justice issues to lift others up.”
Maynard has spent his entire career fighting for economic and social justice for citizens of Nashville, and for those across our country.
As a councilman, Maynard dedicated his time in office to expanding economic access to women, and minority owned small businesses. He played a leading role in the creation and implementation of the Metro Small Business Growth Act, the Diversity and Inclusion Act, and the Metro Workforce Development Program. Combined, these programs and initiatives have resulted in over $300 million in contracts awarded for small, women, and minority owned businesses.
Maynard has made access to quality healthcare for all Nashville residents a priority while in office and co-sponsored the Metro Employee Healthcare Incentive Plan which provides no out-of-pocket costs to Metro Employees at the Nashville General Hospital. When city leaders announced Nashville General Hospital would no longer exist as a hospital, Maynard went to work and within a few months the hospital was saved and was fully funded in the Metro budget.
Pam Martin, President of Cushion Employer Services, said, “Equity and equality are thrown around a lot, but Jerry’s work on investing in minority owned small businesses and making the government contracting process fairer for local, minority and women owned businesses has made a difference. He has a track record not just talking about racial equity but making a difference in minority business owners’ pocketbooks.”
On council, Maynard stopped a plan to locate the new Nashville Sounds stadium on the downtown riverbank and to build the new stadium in North Nashville at Sulfur Dell where a Negro League team played. The moved helped spur a boom in the Germantown area. He also led the way on securing $10M from the city for The National Museum for African American music and has personally raised over $350,000 for the museum.
“His approach is fearless and effective,” said Councilmember Sharon Hurt. “You don’t get things done by going along to get along. You must have the courage to stand up to the mayor, the governor, or a CEO. You also need to be able to work with anyone to make something happen for the community. Nashville General and The National Museum for African American Music are great examples of where Jerry’s fearless effectiveness got big wins for our community.”
With a great-grandfather, a grandfather and two parents who served as pastors, Maynard accepted his calling as a minister. Every week he still preaches at Cathedral of Praise on Clarksville Highway with his father, Bishop Jerry L. Maynard, Sr.
In politics he has advised elected leaders in their campaigns and in office from the city council and mayoral level to governor and President of the United States, serving as a delegate for President Obama in 2008 and 2012. He led a national ministerial alliance of 3,000 pastors in an organization called Fellowship Unite to engage and activate more minority millennial voters. Jerry also served as the Deputy Chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party from 2005 to 2007 and was the first African American to serve as Chairman for the TNDP finance committee for 4 years, where he led statewide Minority voter registration effort that resulted in more than 40k newly registered voters.
Councilmember Hurt said, “There is no one more qualified to serve as our Senator for District 19.”
Since his time in Council, Jerry has built the largest Black owned government relations firm in Tennessee. Always focused on new ways to invest in the community, Maynard established a scholarship fund for TSU students, held job fairs for recently incarcerated individuals, opened a food pantry and created the Power of WE, an organization dedicated to supporting female entrepreneurs and business students, and the Small Business Expo with over 400 small business and minority owned business owner attendees.
Maynard noted that this state senate seat has been held by some legends of leadership like Avon Williams, Jr., Thelma Harper and Brenda Gilmore.
Maynard said, “I learned from the best to do my best for this community. I’m running on my track record of giving back and getting things for this community. My track record is deep and wide. I’ll fight with everything I have do even more as a Senator.”
