Jim Ake, 19-year Westfield resident and current Westfield City Councilman, will run At Large for another term.
Ake
During Ake’s tenure on the Westfield City Council, he has played an integral role on several projects and initiatives that have made Westfield the destination city it is today. These include Grand Park, Grand Plaza Junction, Restaurant Row, infrastructure and projects improving State Road 32 and U.S. 31.
“I love Westfield. It’s been a pleasure serving the residents,” said Ake. “I want continue the progress we’ve made as a council. There are so many opportunities for residents and business owners across the city from arts to economic development. I look forward to speaking with residents in the coming months about their priorities.”
The three areas of focus for Ake as he seeks re-election are:
- Schools: Adding additional safety layers including more resource officers, ‘sub-stations’ in each school and mental health initiatives.
- Public safety: Keeping Westfield families safe and providing public safety teams the resources they need.
- Responsible economic development: Providing ongoing transparency as future economic successes continue for Westfield.
Ake was involved with the inception of Westfield Youth Assistance and he served as past President of the Westfield Community Development Corporation and the Westfield-Washington Township Public Safety Building Corporation. He is a member of Westfield CERT and has chaired the Westfield WeCAN Trash and Recycling Committee. For three terms, Ake served as the president of a 1,200-home subdivision. He is also an active member in the Rotary Club of Westfield where he serves as Foundation Chairman.
Ake lives in Westfield with his wife, Mary. They have two sons. His career as a business owner and high level sales executive includes managing and budgeting millions of dollars, leading teams and exceeding goals. Ake attends St. Luke’s UMC where he has been a member over the years, serving in many capacities. His wife attends Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and is a Stephens Minister.