|   Flag This   |   Edit This

---

Karl Dean

    Karl Dean was elected mayor of Metro Nashville-Davidson County in 2007, becoming the sixth chief executive of the combined government.
    Dean started his term confronting a difficult financial picture for Nashville's government and a decision about whether to go forward with a new convention center for the city, which he chose to support.
   

Dean has a long background in Metro Nashville government, having served as public defender while Phil Bredesen was mayor and law director while Bill Purcell was mayor. Dean succeeded Purcell as mayor.

History

---

    Dean was born on Sept. 20, 1955, in Sioux Falls, S.D., and grew up in Gardner, Mass., which is west of  Boston. He received a bachelor's degree in political science from Columbia University and a law degree from Vanderbilt University. It was at Vanderbilt law school that he met his wife, Anne Davis, a Nashville native. They have two daughters and a son.
    After law school he worked in the public defender's office, and in 1990 was elected as Nashville's public defender. He was named Nashville's legal director by Purcell in 1999.
    Dean beat former U.S. Rep. Bob Clement, Vice Mayor Howard Gentry, Metro Councilman David Briley and Metro Councilman Buck Dozier in the 2007 election to be mayor of Metro Nashville-Davidson County.
    Dean became the third non-native in a row to be elected mayor of Nashville. Purcell and Bredesen also grew up in the Northeast.

Related Nashville-Middle Tn topics on Civic Scope

---

Government Politics