LinkedIn

George is from Paducah, Kentucky. He earned a bachelor's degree in business management and marketing from Indiana University and a master's degree in business administration from Ohio State University. He lives with his wife, Angela, and they have 8 children.

George is the vice president of member engagement for the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers Foundation. He previously worked as chairman of the Barkley Regional Airport, vice president of customer development at Cencora, and senior vice president of sales and marketing at McKesson.

George Bray was elected mayor of Paducah in 2020 and is serving his first term. 

Candidate website

Supports students gaining certifications, joining unions, or pursuing four-year degrees.

Supports creating vocational or trade schools that prepare students for college and technical careers.

Supports collaboration between local schools, technical schools, higher education, economic development, and businesses to enhance education and workforce development.

- Supports students gaining certifications, joining unions, or pursuing four-year degrees.
- Supports creating vocational or trade schools that prepare students for college and technical careers.
- Supports collaboration between local schools, technical schools, higher education, economic development, and businesses to enhance education and workforce development.

Education

Believes there is a need for diverse housing options and plans to aggressively collaborate with developers, residents, and landowners to address housing shortages.

Believes addressing homelessness, addiction, food insecurity, and mental health is crucial for community well-being.

Believes any downtown hotel project should be closer to the convention center to leverage taxpayer investment.

Plans to revitalize the Southside of Paducah by introducing commercial and residential incentives to support neighborhood and business growth.

Supports incentivizing remote workers to relocate to the community.

- Believes there is a need for diverse housing options and plans to aggressively collaborate with developers, residents, and landowners to address housing shortages.
- Believes addressing homelessness, addiction, food insecurity, and mental health is crucial for community well-being.
- Believes any downtown hotel project should be closer to the convention center to leverage taxpayer investment.
- Plans to revitalize the Southside of Paducah by introducing commercial and residential incentives to support neighborhood and business growth.
- Supports incentivizing remote workers to relocate to the community.

Housing & Urban Development

Believes in upgrading current fire stations and considers building a new fire station and police station.

Believes in upgrading current fire stations.

Supports replacing the obsolete 911 system with a state-of-the-art approach to enhance community safety.

Believes that in a few years, the city will be able to fund the construction of new police and fire stations.

Believes the loss of funding from landline phones must be addressed by both the City and County.

- Believes in upgrading current fire stations.
- Supports replacing the obsolete 911 system with a state-of-the-art approach to enhance community safety.
- Believes that in a few years, the city will be able to fund the construction of new police and fire stations.
- Believes the loss of funding from landline phones must be addressed by both the City and County.

Public Safety

Supports strong human resource teams in public services to enhance employee support, accountability, and communication.

Supports the completion of the Robert Cherry Civic Center, believing it will be "a great community asset" once finished.

Supports establishing monetary funds to support local businesses.

Supports public services that enhance community well-being and safety.

- Supports strong human resource teams in public services to enhance employee support, accountability, and communication.
- Supports the completion of the Robert Cherry Civic Center, believing it will be "a great community asset" once finished.
- Supports establishing monetary funds to support local businesses.
- Supports public services that enhance community well-being and safety.

Public Services

Believes basic infrastructure improvements, such as storm water system maintenance, 911 funding, and enhancing current parks, should take priority over developing an aquatic/recreational center.

Supports developing a long-term plan for storm water remediation.

Aims to enhance Paducah's road infrastructure by collaborating with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

Plans to enhance Paducah's road infrastructure by collaborating with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

Supports expanding flights from the Barkley Regional Airport to more convenient hub cities.

Supports investing in infrastructure to improve transportation systems, including roads, bridges, and public transit.

- Believes basic infrastructure improvements, such as storm water system maintenance, 911 funding, and enhancing current parks, should take priority over developing an aquatic/recreational center.
- Supports developing a long-term plan for storm water remediation.
- Plans to enhance Paducah's road infrastructure by collaborating with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
- Supports expanding flights from the Barkley Regional Airport to more convenient hub cities.
- Supports investing in infrastructure to improve transportation systems, including roads, bridges, and public transit.

Transportation & Infrastructure

Plans to continue developing downtown and supporting local retail and hospitality businesses.

Supports fostering relationships with developers to boost community growth through outside investment and public-private partnerships.

Supports setting aside funds for future capital expenditures.

Supports tax increases if deemed necessary for future economic stability.

- Plans to continue developing downtown and supporting local retail and hospitality businesses.
- Supports fostering relationships with developers to boost community growth through outside investment and public-private partnerships.
- Supports setting aside funds for future capital expenditures.
- Supports tax increases if deemed necessary for future economic stability.

Economy

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

George Bray

George Bray is from Paducah, Kentucky. He attended Indiana University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in business management and marketing, and Ohio State University, where he earned a master's in business administration. He lives with his wife, Angela, and they have 8 children.

George Bray is vice president of member engagement for the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers Foundation. He previously worked as chairman of the Barkley Regional Airport, vice president of customer development at Cencora, and senior vice president of sales and marketing at McKesson.

George Bray was elected Mayor of Paducah in 2020 and is serving his first term. 

Earned a Master of Business Administration from Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business.

Attended Indiana University – Kelley School of Business.

Supports the development of innovative educational facilities, such as the new Regional Innovation Hub at Paducah Public Schools, to enhance local education.

Attended Northwestern University-Kellogg School of Management.

Supports securing funds for infrastructure projects, having injected $4M to complete two overdue projects.

Supports development projects that enhance quality of life.

Supports the Southside Project, believing it will revitalize a declining area.

Wants to invest time, effort, and resources into rebuilding southside neighborhoods, improving property values, and creating new development opportunities.

Supports the continued growth of mall areas.

Believes the area between the mall and Barkley Regional Airport will be the City and County’s greatest growth area in the next 20 years.

Believes the mid-town area around the Coke plant has potential for development due to increased private investment.

Believes in maintaining open communication with residents about housing projects, citing recent communications about the City Block project as an example of this commitment.

Believes addressing the housing shortage is crucial, saying "Housing will be a much greater focus for this commission going forward."

Supports the joint city/county project to upgrade the bridge on 4th Street, which has been overlooked since 2016, saying it "has direct impact on your safety and will provide that our first responders will get where they need to be in a timely manner."

Believes leadership is crucial for public safety in Paducah's post-COVID-19 recovery.

Encourages voters to "Challenge Paducah Mayoral Candidates" on public safety issues.

Believes in maintaining public safety through effective health service regulation and pharmaceutical distribution.

Believes in enhancing public safety through effective sales and marketing strategies in health systems.

Supports the current leadership of the fire and police departments.

As mayor, set a goal to upgrade the 911 system.

Supports installing a new $10 million public safety system and operating it at an annual cost of $3 million.

Supports public safety measures to address COVID-19.

Supports strong leadership during public health crises, emphasizing the importance of following scientific guidance and implementing effective safety measures to protect communities.

Believes in upgrading current fire stations .

- Believes in upgrading current fire stations .
- Supports replacing the obsolete 911 system with a state-of-the-art approach to enhance community safety.
- Believes that in a few years, the city will be able to fund the construction of new police and fire stations.
- Believes the loss of funding from landline phones must be addressed by both the City and County.

Supports effective management of public works, including street, facility, and vehicle maintenance, and solid waste collection.

Supports the directors of Planning, IT, and Parks & Recreation and believes their recent experience and contributions are vital for community success.

Supports the development of public amenities like the Aquatic Center, believing it enhances community benefits.

Believes leadership is crucial for Paducah's recovery post-COVID-19.

Believes consistency in leadership is crucial for community success, emphasizing the need for innovation, hard work, and community-focused efforts.

Believes leadership is crucial for the recovery and improvement of public services in Paducah after COVID-19.

Supports public services to address health crises, such as the coronavirus pandemic.

Promises to collaborate with residents to enhance community development.

Supports transparency in public services.

- Supports strong human resource teams in public services to enhance employee support, accountability, and communication.
- Supports the completion of the Robert Cherry Civic Center, believing it will be "a great community asset" once finished.
- Supports transparency in public services.
- Supports establishing monetary funds to support local businesses.
- Supports public services that enhance community well-being and safety.

Supports collaborating with the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management to discuss reusing the Paducah gaseous diffusion site.

Believes the floodwall, completed in the 1940s and costing over $1M annually to maintain, is "arguably our most important asset" but requires constant monitoring.

Supports maintaining and evaluating city-owned buildings, citing the 2019 evaluation of all city buildings as a good practice.

Supports enacting the taxpayer-funded stormwater plan and making future improvements.

Supports the completion of infrastructure projects, such as the new terminal at Barkley Regional Airport.

Believes in enhancing airport operations, expanding route options, and creating a seamless customer experience to support airport growth.

Supports upgrading Highway 45 (Lone Oak Road) to relieve traffic.

Believes in highlighting and utilizing the county's transportation assets.

Believes addressing infrastructure needs is vital for community safety, quality of life, and economic development.

Supports the use of commercial air service through the new terminal at Barkley Regional Airport to meet industrial transportation needs.

- Believes basic infrastructure improvements, such as storm water system maintenance, 911 funding, and enhancing current parks, should take priority over developing an aquatic/recreational center.
- Supports developing a long-term plan for storm water remediation.
- Believes addressing infrastructure needs is vital for community safety, quality of life, and economic development.
- Supports the use of commercial air service through the new terminal at Barkley Regional Airport to meet industrial transportation needs.
- Plans to enhance Paducah's road infrastructure by collaborating with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
- Supports expanding flights from the Barkley Regional Airport to more convenient hub cities.
- Supports investing in infrastructure to improve transportation systems, including roads, bridges, and public transit.

Supports economic growth through community development projects.

Believes airports are "key factors in economic development for communities."

Supports having an experienced finance team.

Believes funding decisions are crucial as the community approaches implementation of the new plan.

Believes investing in Paducah’s downtown will create a fun atmosphere that encourages people to go out at night.

Believes that despite challenges from online shopping, the traffic and shopping patterns around Kentucky Oaks Mall are "well established and continue to do well."

Believes the coronavirus crisis will change life and reduce City revenue.

Believes the restaurant industry will be "decimated" by COVID-19 economic effects.

Opposes the $22 million project without financial participation from the county, hospitals, school systems, and other users.

Wants to promote development in areas outside of downtown.

- Plans to continue developing downtown and supporting local retail and hospitality businesses.
- Supports fostering relationships with developers to boost community growth through outside investment and public-private partnerships.
- Wants to promote development in areas outside of downtown.
- Supports setting aside funds for future capital expenditures.
- Supports tax increases if deemed necessary for future economic stability.

George Bray is a 6th generation native of Paducah, Kentucky, where he currently resides with his wife, Angela West Bray, and their eight children. He attended Ohio State University, Indiana University, and Northwestern University.

George Bray has held various executive positions, including Senior Vice President at L.S., Vice President of Customer Development at Walgreens, and Corporate Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Health Systems. He also served as Division President and Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing at D&K Healthcare Resources.

George Bray was elected as the Mayor of Paducah in 2020.

- The duties of the mayor depend on the type of government within the city, 
- If the city has a mayor-council form of government, the mayor is responsible for the executive and administrative functions of the government. They oversee all city departments, but cannot vote in most council matters. 
- If the city has a mayor-aldermen form of government, the mayor is responsible for executing and enforcing local and state laws. The mayor may appoint city officials with approval from the aldermen. 
- If the city has a mayor-commission form of government, the mayor presides over the city commissioners and can vote within the commission. The mayor is responsible for executing all decisions reached by the commission. 
- If the city has a city manager form of government, the mayor presides over the city commissioners and can vote within the commission. The mayor is recognized as the head of the city department but does not have any regular administrative duties. 
- City mayors are elected during general elections for a four-year term. Most cities in Kentucky hold nonpartisan elections for mayor. 