After 12 years with Gillette, where he came to manage operations across the eastern half of the country, Mark Nash has stepped fully into the political arena, signing to run for the District 4 seat in the County Commission.
District 4, which encompasses approximately 57% of Hillsborough County, includes everything east of the I-75 and I-4 corridors. There are also three at-large districts whose commissioners represent the entire county.
Nash, who grew up in the Brandon area and has lived there all of his life, said the demographics make this race pivotal to our area as well as to all of Hillsborough County.
“We’re all in this community together,” he said. “A lot of people don’t realize that a healthy eastern Hillsborough County means a healthy Tampa and vice versa.”
Nash cites the diversity of industry, agriculture and business interests in the area as well as the sense of community here which, he said, is unmatched elsewhere. He also said that Hillsborough needs to be the image that people in other states have of Florida.
“When people think of this state, they should think of Hillsborough County first,” he said. “Do we want to be a major player or do we want to continue to wallow in mediocrity?”
In creating this image, Nash said it is not simply enough to create jobs. He believes we must create careers.
“What quality of life does it afford you if you have to work two or three jobs?” he asked.
Instead, he suggests creating relationships with businesses that will allow them to establish deep roots in our community. He said that we could attract those kinds of career-oriented employers by creating a community that would attract the kinds of people who are starting them.
Nash also said that he would focus on cutting down corruption at the local level.
“A lot of people are preoccupied with Washington or Tallahassee even as local politics are playing out in our own backyard,” he said.
Nash, whose family settled in the Tampa Bay area 150 years ago, said he is proud of this community and wants to make that community proud as well.
“People say they settled in West Tampa,” he said proudly. “My family built West Tampa.”
For more information on Mark Nash, to volunteer or contribute, visit www.electmarknash.com
