Thursday, November 17, 2005

Karen Aikman announces candidacy for Mayor

My name is Karen Lea Aikman and I am declaring my candidacy for mayor of Evansville.

I am currently a City Alderman elected by the 3rd district two years ago. I have served as Chair of the Finance and Labor Committee and on the Planning Commission. This has provided me the opportunity to get to know and work with the leaders of Evansville, the surrounding communities, and the State of Wisconsin. It has also provided me with direct experience dealing with the issues we all face.

I grew up in Madison and attended the UW where I pursued a BS degree in Economics. I have called Chicago, Tokyo, Atlanta and now Evansville home. I enjoy challenging work and have been employed by Chase Manhattan Bank, Chanel, and most recently MindSpring Enterprises (currently EarthLink).

I have a family history in Evansville that is balanced with my perspective as a newcomer. I understand that while some view the new traffic light as an end of a bottleneck, others view it as an end of an era. I am sensitive to the challenge of meeting the economic needs of our community while maintaining our small town charm. I have spent much of the past two years attending Economic Development seminars and meeting leaders of other Wisconsin communities to learn from their successes and failures.

I am asking to be mayor of Evansville because I believe it is a job I can excel at. It is an opportunity to continue in Mayor Ringhand’s efforts to keep the government open and in the hands of the citizens. And it is an opportunity to be a part of something exciting and something that much of the State of Wisconsin is watching!