The City of Gadsden

Gadsden is a city in and the county seat of Etowah County in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is located on the Coosa River about 56 miles (90 km) northeast of Birmingham and 90 miles (140 km) southwest of Chattanooga, Tennessee. It is the primary city of the Gadsden Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 103,931. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 33,945.  In the 19th century, Gadsden was Alabama's second-most important center of commerce and industry, trailing only the seaport of Mobile. The two cities were important shipping centers: Gadsden for riverboats and Mobile for international trade.
 

Front row, left to right: Melcie Guyton, Ruth Moffatt, Tena King, Melissa Battles. Back row, left to right: John Moore, Mayor Craig Ford, Rod Scott, Brett Johnson

The Mayor's Background

He was born and raised in Gadsden, and is a graduate of Auburn University with a degree in marketing and research.

Mayor Ford has owned two small businesses in Gadsden for over 20 years which collectively employ 20 people. The Messenger is Gadsden's locally owned, good-news, newspaper that focuses on the community. Ford Insurance Agency is one of the oldest independent insurance agencies in North Alabama.

Previously, Mayor Ford served 18 years in the Alabama House of Representatives. He is an officer in the U.S. Army. 

He has been married to Gwen for 28 years and they have two children, Wells and Jonathan. They also have two very spoiled dogs, Dollar and Volley. 

In his free time, Mayor Ford enjoys the gym, the lake, and spending time with family and friends.