THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 31, 1996 TAG: 9603300090
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ANGELITA PLEMMER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines
When Gwendolyn Davis talks people listen.
Politically savvy and packing a keen business sense, Davis, the city's legislative liaison to the General Assembly and Congress, is good at making sure legislators hear her voice and the voice of the 104,000 citizens for whom she lobbies.
Davis, who has worked for nearly 14 years for the city, has been named Hampton Roads Public Administrator of the Year by the Hampton Roads area chapter of the American Society for Public Administration.
Award recipients must have a record of outstanding work and commitment to public service, exhibit unusual leadership, creativity, integrity and an ability to respond to challenges. In addition, the award recognizes an honoree's commitment to professionalism and the ideals of democracy.
``I lobby for issues that impact Portsmouth,'' said Davis, a Hampton University graduate. ``My job is to ensure that the priorities established by the city council are carried out. . . so that the members of the General Assembly understand what we want.''
Standing shoulder-to-shoulder and sometimes going head-to-head against some of the country's highest paid professional lobbyists, Davis must cajole, persuade, placate and press legislators from across the state in hopes of getting capital and support for Portsmouth's legislative ``wish list.''
``You're able to see dreams realized,'' Davis, looking across the city from the window of her fifth floor office. ``When it's all said and done, you can report to the city council we got our money.''
And as the only African-American and African-American female legislative liaison in the state, Davis said she particularly proud that she can represent Portsmouth's best interests.
``You have to have a well-rounded perspective in government in order to do this job effectively,'' Davis said.
However, ``there is nothing no one person can do by themselves. I always believe everybody has a good idea.''
``You're not going to always win 100 percent but I'll settle for 80.''
Name: Gwendolyn S. Davis
Nickname: Gwen
Number of years in Portsmouth: 14
Birthplace: Wake Forest, N.C.
Birthdate: March 3, 1958
Occupation: Legislative Liaison to the General Assembly and Congress; Principal management analyst, City Manager's office
What other job than your own would you like?: Supreme Court Justice
Marital Status: Married
Children/Grandchildren: None
Fondest childhood memory: Christmas with my family and visiting my grandparents
First concert: The Jackson Five, Gladys Knight & The Pips and Black Ivory in 1969 at the Dorton Arena in Raleigh, N.C.
What song or book title best describes your life?: ``I'm coming up on the rough side of the Mountain''
If you won the lottery, what's the very first thing you'd buy?: Buy my mother and all my sisters and brothers a new house.
If you could trade places with anyone in the world for just one day, who would it be and why?: House of Delegates Speaker Tom Moss on the day committee assignments are made in the General Assembly, which is critical to Virginians in terms of long-range decisions.
Biggest accomplishment: Making sure the city retains funding from the state and federal government for essential programs and services during times of proposed budget reductions.
Most embarrassing moment: Attending church service with a silver hair clamp I used to curl my hair on the side of my head for the entire service and not noticing it until I got in my car.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?: Take more time for myself.
Perfect way to spend the day: Going fishing with my husband
I can't resist: Chocolate!
Favorite Portsmouth restaurant: The Max
Favorite Portsmouth hangout: The Commodore Theatre
Biggest problem facing Portsmouth: The decline of a retail tax base
If you had three wishes for Portsmouth, what would they be?
To increase our economic tax base
To embrace cultural diversity
To improve our image throughout the region and state
Other than its small-town atmosphere, what do you like about living in Portsmouth?: The people ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARK MITCHELL
Gwendolyn Davis
by CNB