Birmingham City Council, District 2

Name: Lawrence Conaway

Age: 57

Political experience: Ran unsuccessfully for Birmingham City Council District 2 in 2009, and for Alabama House District 54 in 2014.

Professional experience: Senior pastor, Fellowship Bible Church, 2013-present; associate pastor, Guiding Light Church, 1998-present; computer analyst, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 1987-1998; electronic technician, SCI Systems, Gray Electronics, Advance R&D, 1984-87.

Civic experience: Director, Neighborhood Housing Services of Birmingham, 2009-present; chairman, Fellowship Bible Church, 2013-present; VAT chairman, United Way of Central Alabama, 2013-present; director, Gatekeepers Association of Alabama, 2015-present; committee member, Neighborhood Housing Services of Birmingham Foreclosure Prevention Committee, 2008-2009; founder, executive director, Charity in Action Inc., 2004-present.

Education: Birmingham Theological Seminary, master’s, 2008; University of Alabama at Birmingham, MBA, 1994; Athens State University, bachelor’s in instrumentation science, 1984; Bessemer State Technical College, associate’s degree, industrial electronics, 1981.

Top Contributors:  Dell S. Brooke, $2,500; F. Dixon Brooke, $2,500; Dolores Summerville, $1,000; Bertha Conaway, $300; Monica Whiting, $250; Arlan Lewis, $250.

Main issues: Conaway’s priorities include building safer communities and revitalizing communities He advocates building a coalition of stakeholders to address issues such as poverty, economic inequality and below average schools, all of which can contribute to crime. He also has called for eliminating vacant, blighted properties, cleaning up overgrown lots and expanding the tax base by promoting business and job creation. He has pledged to work with seniors and single-parent families to help them manage their resources.

Campaign: lawrenceconaway.com