Baton Rouge - Ronnie Edwards is the founding executive director of Urban Restoration Enhancement Corporation (UREC). She has substantial experience in business and industry, the public sector and community development, including 12 years with Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corporation as Regional Personnel Administrator. Since 1992, Edwards has been responsible for UREC’s efforts to rebuild neighborhoods, focus on affordable housing, offer education, training, social and economic development to the citizens of the Capital Region. Prior to her tenure with UREC, Edwards served as Council Administrative Aide and made further contributions in both state and parish government. She has worked extensively with the academic community, local media and various faith based initiatives. A 1998 alumna of the Chamber’s Leadership Program, Mrs. Edwards holds a B.S. in Business Management from UOP with further studies at both Southern and LSU. She is a graduate of the Baton Rouge Police Department’s Citizens Academy and YWCA Dialogue on Race, a licensed realtor and certified apartment manager.
She has many years of community service on various boards and commissions provides a fresh perspective and skillful leveraging of community partnerships, alliances and collaborative initiatives on behalf of the community. “My decision to run was inspired by the unprecedented number of seats expected to become vacant on the Metro Council this fall. I desire to take my community service to the next level by ensuring sincere, strong and results oriented representation on behalf of District 5 citizens and the broader Baton Rouge community. I look forward to providing leadership in the creation and implementation of a master plan for the AirlineHighway/Plank Road Commercial Corridor, promoting Smart Growth in the undeveloped areas of our District and ensuring that citizens see and experience visible evidence of their sales and property taxes at work.”
Community service has been Edwards’ life work for well over 37 years. She has a track record of working on behalf of others and is concerned about issues related to neighborhood improvement, affordable housing, economic development and equitable distribution of resources for North Baton Rouge. According to Mrs. Edwards, “The decisions that Council members are making today will have a direct bearing on the quality of life we enjoy tomorrow – That legacy must be one that is purposeful and promotes all of our citizens fairing well. As I meet with stakeholders and canvass the District, I realize that basic services will always be an issue whether it involves streets, drainage, trash collection, traffic, public transit, workforce development and/or crime. I see the potential in District 5 and bring a fresh perspective to advocating for, responding to and developing policy regarding these concerns.”
In addition to her community service, Edwards volunteers as Executive Vice President of the Baton Rouge Apartment Association, serves on the board of the LA Association of Nonprofit Organizations, is Secretary of the LA Housing Alliance, Collaborative and Greater Baton Rouge Community Housing & Economic Development Coalition. Mrs. Edwards is the newly appointed Advocacy Committee Chair of EBRP Long Term Recovery Committee, is a member of the Baton Rouge Metro Airport Commission and former member of the EBRP Planning & Zoning Commission.
Under Edwards’s leadership, her agency received honorary awards from EFA as a Trailblazer, the 2004 NAACP award for Outstanding Community Services and was recognized in 2005 by LANO’s Gold Seal of Approval for its “Standards for Excellence” certification. Mrs. Edwards received the LA Role Model Award from the Baton Rouge Chapter of the Links, Inc. in 2007.
Married for 37 years to Oliver G. Edwards, Sr., she is the mother of two and grandmother of three. A member of Life Changers Christian Center for 27 years and New Pilgrim Baptist Church for 10 years.
To contact the Ronnie Edwards for Baton Rouge Metro Council Campaign, write to P. O. Box 73018, Baton Rouge, LA 70874, call 225.819.6546 or email: RonnieEdwards05@gmail.com. To participate in the campaign, visit RonnieEdwards05.blogspot.com.
