Retired banker, Charles “Chuck” Jordan, won handily in the City of Greenville’s Municipal Election on Monday. With all the votes counted and now certified, Jordan had 3,890 votes and opponent Carl McGee had 2,168. McGee is currently serving as Vice Mayor and is finishing up 8 years on city council.

In what can only be described as a mandate from the whole community, Jordan claimed 64 percent of the vote in a city that is 80 percent African American.

“I’ve said this many times, and I’ll say it again tonight, ‘it’s not about me, it’s about we,’” Jordan said at an election night party. “Tonight is proof of what we can do if we all pull together and fight for Greenville.”

“This election proves the people of Greenville want a change,” said Jordan.

Chuck Jordan, retired president of Planters Bank for 32 years, is running for mayor of Greenville to stop its dramatic loss of population by running the city like a business. It’s no secret that Greenville and Washington County had the greatest population decline in the state over the past decade. Greenville’s almost 20 percent population decline since 2000 translates to 7,233 people who packed up and moved out of Greenville because of three words: quality of life. They believe that Greenville is no longer a place they want to call home.

Chuck Jordan’s proven leadership ability transformed Planters Bank from Greenville’s fourth largest bank into the city’s largest bank. When Chuck first started as President of Planters in 1979, the bank had $7 million in deposits, and by the time he retired this past April, the bank had grown to $180 million in deposits.

When asked if he was going to take some time off after his victory, Chuck was quick to respond with a to-do list.

“My first plan of action is to email the Secretary of State Office about those 1,000 tax forfeited properties the city doesn’t have on its list to be removed,” said Jordan. “It was my plan during the campaign, and it will be something I look to work on when I take office in January.

Jordan will be inaugurated on January 3, 2011 by Mississippi Supreme Court Justice and Greenville native, Leslie King. DBJ