Jim CONTOIS
Primary Election on October 7
General Election on November 4
Primary Election on October 7
General Election on November 4
Davenport’s third ward is the most diverse in the city. It includes the best downtown in the region, historic properties, and hundreds of local businesses. But it also has some of the most challenged neighborhoods - east and west - and bears the scars of an economy that disappeared long ago.
Current investments such as the conversion of 3rd and 4th streets to two-way traffic, a new Smart Middle School, upgraded utilities, and the upcoming replacement of the Centennial Bridge have been presented as beneficial to the community. Change can bring challenges and questions. However, with the right leadership, I believe initiatives like these can pave the way for smart redevelopment, safer neighborhoods, and increased property values.
I moved to the area 23 years ago to work as a designer for HNI in Muscatine and chose Davenport as my home. My ex-wife and I raised two boys here—our youngest is finishing his senior year at Central, and our oldest is training at MTI to become a welder.
For the past 17 years, I have been self-employed. I began freelancing as a consultant, developing furniture designs for manufacturers across the country. Six years ago, I transitioned into entrepreneurship and founded a company that designs, manufactures, and markets outdoor furniture for commercial use. A core value of our brand is producing our products in the United States. Our customers are nationwide and include high-tech companies like Google and Meta, universities such as Stanford, and a range of public spaces, including restaurants, apartment complexes, marinas, and community centers. Our business operates in a building I own in the 3rd Ward, close to downtown. I am deeply invested in this neighborhood, and I am dedicated to seeing it thrive.
Outside of work, I enjoy motorcycles, I’m a member of the YMCA (though I could go more often), and I’m not too bad playing trivia at a few of the local bars.
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