Mayor Shawna Girgis of Bedford didn’t really have time to focus on being the first female or first independent leader of her city. She came into office in 2008 with a variety of economic challenges. By 2013, Bedford was chosen as a state Stellar community and the Indiana Chamber’s Community of the Year. She wraps up her third and final term in 2019, joining us to talk key accomplishments (think Community Learning Center, Becky’s Place shelter and more) what she enjoyed most about being in the mayor’s office and what she won’t miss (think criticism of her clothes and hair). Girgis offers her take on a colleague and friend, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and talks about her future plans. Learn more:

City of Bedford (http://www.bedford.in.us/)
2013 Community of the Year: story (https://www.bizvoicemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/AAW-Bedford.pdf); video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zr0A5ILTOMk)