Ronnie Martin, FirstBank Senior Vice President and Relationship Manager, announced Tuesday (2/13/18) he is running for a seat on the Murfreesboro City Council.

"If elected, I will strive to continue the positive efforts that previous Murfreesboro City Council members have accomplished," Martin said. "As an outsider to politics, I believe my experience helping small businesses grow is a skill that transfers well to adding value to city government. An open acknowledgment to where we are and how we pay for where we are going is very familiar territory. I am also not a single-issue person, but rather will make decisions based on what's best for our community and use real-life experience to help move Murfreesboro forward."

Martin has 23 years of experience in the banking industry as a commercial and consumer lender for FirstBank, First Community Bank, MidSouth Bank, and First Tennessee Bank in Murfreesboro and SunTrust Bank in Nashville.

"One of the biggest challenges for Murfreesboro will be the need to implement significant capital improvements over the next 10-20 years, to support our continued growth. Strategic selection of these projects designed to enhance our quality of life is just as important as the ever watchful eye on the needed funding costs." Martin said.

"I've had the privilege to guide many small business owners through challenging financial times in addition to providing strategies on financing business growth. I welcome the opportunity to contribute my experience toward looking at ways to maintain our vibrant growth, while making the effort to keep our property taxes low, relative to the value of services we provide our citizens." he said.

Education is also an issue which hits close to home for Martin. His wife, Cynthia, was a librarian at Overall Creek School and Scales Elementary School and a teacher at Lascassas Elementary School. They are both graduates of Riverdale High School, and Martin received his undergraduate degree in Economics and MBA from Middle Tennessee State University. Martin also earned a diploma from the Graduate School of Banking at LSU.

"Education has made the biggest difference in my life" Martin said. "Teachers at every level have influenced me, and pushed me outside my comfort zone." The quality education that Murfreesboro provides at all levels is one of the biggest factors complementing our growth. We need to continue to challenge ourselves as leaders to find ways to invest in our teachers, as well as our other city public servants, such as police and firefighters."

Martin is an Advisory Board Member of the Tennessee Small Business Development Council and a Financial Expert Judge for MTSU's capstone Entrepreneurship course. He was voted Favorite Banker in Rutherford County in the 2015 Daily News Journal Ruthies Awards.

"The opportunity to serve on the Murfreesboro City Council will be one of the most challenging endeavors I have ever pursued. People who know me know that I have always leaned into difficult tasks and conversations when needed. If I am elected, I look forward to going to work for the residents of our city and doing my best to serve them." Martin said.

The Murfreesboro Municipal Election will be held Aug. 2, with early voting July 13-28.