Phillip Jones (politician)
Phillip Jones | |
|---|---|
 Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones at public event | |
| 27th Mayor of Newport News, Virginia | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2023[a] | |
| Preceded by | McKinley L. Price |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Phillip Damon Jones September 19, 1989 |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Domestic partner | Jamila Wynter |
| Alma mater | United States Naval Academy, Harvard University |
| Occupation | Politician, Consultant, Marine |
| Website | https://phillipjones.com |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 2012 - 2018 (Active), 2018 - present (Reserves) |
| Rank |  Major |
Phillip Damon Jones (born September 19, 1989) is an American politician and the current mayor of Newport News, Virginia.[2] He is the 27th and youngest directly elected mayor of the Virginia city.[3][b]
Early life and career
[edit]Jones was born on September 19, 1989, at Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa, Japan.[5] His father, Daryl Jones, was an F-15 pilot, and his mother, Martha Stevenson-Jones was a KC-135 navigator in the United States Air Force.[6] When Jones was a teenager, the family moved to Hampton Roads, Virginia. He graduated from Hampton Christian Academy in 2008.[7] Jones attended the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, on a vice presidential nomination.[8] In 2012, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in history and a commission in the United States Marine Corps.[9]
Jones served six years as a Marine Corps infantry officer with 1st Battalion, 8th Marines. He currently serves as a Major in the United States Marine Corps Reserves.[10]
After leaving the military, Jones attended Harvard University, receiving a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Master of Public Policy (MPP) from Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School.[11] After graduate school, Jones joined Bain & Company, focusing on social impact and public sector strategy.[12]
Political record
[edit]Jones was elected to office on Nov 8, 2022, winning 40% of the vote over three members of the city council.[13]
During his election, he was endorsed by Governor Terry McAuliffe and State Senator Mamie Locke. Prior to becoming mayor, Jones was a member of the Newport News Planning Commission for two years. He was sworn into office on January 10, 2023.[14]
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phillip Jones | 19,441 | 40.29% | |
| Saundra Cherry | 7,868 | 16.31% | |
| Dave Jenkins | 11,637 | 24.12% | |
| Tina Vick | 9,055 | 18.77% | |
| Total votes | 48,001 | 100% | |
Mayor of Newport News
[edit]Prior to his official first day in office, Jones was invited to the White House as part of a bi-partisan group of newly elected mayors.[16] There he met with President Joe Biden and members of the Biden-Harris Administration, including Secretary of Labor Martin J. Walsh, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge, and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.
Richneck shooting
[edit]On January 6, 2023, a six-year-old student at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News shot his teacher, Abby Zwerner, while inside their classroom.[17] The shooting was the first school shooting of 2023 and prompted major discussions around gun control and violence in the United States.[18] (The shooting occurred four days before Jones was sworn in.) During a press conference updating reporters, Jones called the incident a “red flag for the country.”[19]
Bloomberg mayors program
[edit]In July 2023, Jones was selected as one of 40 mayors from around the world and 27 United States Mayors for the seventh class of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative.[20]
Vice presidential visit
[edit]Vice President Kamala Harris began her "Fight For Our Freedoms" college tour with a stop at Hampton University and was greeted at the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport by Jones.[21]
Jefferson Lab updates
[edit]During Jones' first year in office, the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, also known as Jefferson Lab, was chosen to manage a national project for centralizing research data.[22] In collaboration with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, the High Performance Data Facility Hub will have its main infrastructure reside at Jefferson Lab.[23]
“The city has been committed to supporting Jefferson Lab’s robust educational and scientific offerings since 1985,” Jones said at an event announcing the news. "We have directly invested more than $64 million to ensure Jefferson Lab’s success and growth.”[24]
Pronouncements
[edit]On June 1, 2023, Jones officially recognized June as Pride Month and announced the city's first Pride festival.[25]
Personal life
[edit]Jones is a member of the Omega Psi Phi (ΩΨΦ) fraternity. He is married to Jamila Wynter, M.D.[26]
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones advocates for housing, transportation funding during White House visit". Daily Press. January 3, 2023. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
- ^ "Phillip Jones, Mayor". Newport News Virginia.gov. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
- ^ "Businessman Phillip Jones wins election for Newport News mayor". Daily Press. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ "High Profile: Barry E Duval". Daily Press. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ "MBA Profiles". Harvard Business School. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ Greenblatt, Alan. "Leadership Lessons from a 33-Year-Old Mayor". Governing.com. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ "Hampton Christian Academy Alumni". Hampton Christian Academy. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ "Phillip D. Jones, Mayor". Newport News.gov. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ "Commencement Speaker: The Honorable Phillip Jones". Virginia Peninsula Community College. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ "Recipient: (Capt) Phillip Jones". Timothy T. Day Foundation. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ White, April. "Skydeck: "Soldier On"". Harvard Business School. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ Janney, JOsh. "Mayor-elect Phillip Jones hopes to bring change, fresh perspective to Newport News". Daily Press. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ "Newport News' newly elected mayor speaks 1 day after election". WVEC. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
- ^ "Newport News' youngest elected mayor sworn in". WVEC. 10 January 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
- ^ "2022 Newport News City Mayor (At Large) - Regular General Results". Vpap.org. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ "Readout of White House Meeting with Newly-Elected Mayors". White House.Gov. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
- ^ Duajardin, Peter. "Teacher shot by 6-year-old student can sue school district, Newport News judge rules". The Virginia Pilot. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
- ^ Peterson, Beatrice. "Parents vent frustration at school board after 6-year-old shoots teacher in Newport News, Virginia". ABC News. ABC News. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
- ^ Kreps, Daniel. "Virginia Six-Year Old Shooting Teacher 'A Red Flag for the Country,' Mayor Says". Rolling Stone. Penske Media. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
- ^ Havich, Michelle. "27 U.S. mayors selected for seventh annual Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative". American City and County. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
- ^ 13News Now Staff. "Vice President Kamala Harris visits Hampton University". 13NewsNow. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "U.S. Department of Energy Selects the High Performance Data Facility Lead". Energy.gov. Office of Science. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
- ^ Hafner, Katherine. "Newport News lab to lead $300M effort to centralize national science data". VPM.org. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
- ^ Janney, Josh. "Jefferson Lab and Newport News unveil plans for Applied Research Center". Virginia-Pilot.com. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
- ^ "NN mayor proclaims June as Pride Month; City to host first Pride festival". WTKR. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
- ^ "Engagement post". Instagram. Retrieved 22 June 2023.