Gary Leitzell | |
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55th Mayor of Dayton, Ohio | |
In office January 4, 2010 – January 4, 2014 |
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Preceded by | Rhine McLin |
Succeeded by | Nan Whaley |
Personal details | |
Born | 1961 (age 55–56) |
Political party | Independent |
Spouse(s) | Deborah Cool-Llorens |
Children | 1 |
Website | gogarygo |
Gary Leitzell is a businessman and the former mayor of the city of Dayton, Ohio. He is notable for having won as an independent on a highly limited budget, as well as bringing business ideas to politics and advocating limited campaign spending.
Leitzell was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania in 1961. His father was a former member of the U.S. Air Force who worked in a steel mill; his mother was a British overseas bride. Leitzell moved as a child to Chippenham, England in 1970, where he attended a public grammar school. Leitzell graduated from the University of London with a bachelor's degree in geology in 1982 and returned to the United States to reacquaint himself with a father whom he had not seen in twelve years. Leitzell then worked in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area in several sales and sales management positions until 1994. After two layoffs and one merger within the first ten years of his entering the corporate workforce, he made the decision to pursue a hobby-related business (miniature painting) in 1994, a decision that allowed him the opportunity to travel throughout the United States. In late 1994, he moved to Dayton, Ohio.
In Dayton Leitzell became involved with the Southeast Priority board in 1999. He was elected to chair the board in 2008 and 2009 and was the president of his neighborhood association for six terms.
Leitzell ran for mayor of Dayton, Ohio as an independent candidate in 2009 and upset Rhine McLin, the incumbent Democrat. He won on a $17,600 budget and was outspent by the incumbent (approx. $160,000). His term as mayor began on January 4, 2010.