Jim Gray is the former mayor of Lexington. During his eight years as mayor, Gray was known for getting things done.
Facing immediate deficits, on day one as mayor, Gray righted Lexington’s financial ship through a series of major reforms which included reducing the city’s employee health insurance costs while at the same time improving employee satisfaction. His reform of the police and fire pension system preserved the retirements of more than 1,000 retirees while saving millions of dollars for the city. Those savings resulted in investments in public safety. Today, Lexington is ranked the 3rd safest city in the US.
As mayor, Gray focused on three core themes: creating jobs, running government efficiently and building a great American City. In 2018, Lexington was named the 4th best-run city in the country.
At the start of his career, Jim Gray earned a B.A. from Vanderbilt University and then came home to help grow his family’s construction firm, Gray Construction, accepting a Loeb Fellow appointment at Harvard along the way. Gray Construction is today ranked among the top 5 US builders within major industry sectors including manufacturing, automotive, food and beverage, and distribution.