Mayor Ken Mathew of Stafford, TX, is among few Indian Americans around the country, who win top spots in cities and have risen from ground-up to occupy their positions.
A former Stafford City Council member, Mayor Mathew won the race defeating his opponent, incumbent Mayor Cecil Willis, in a run-off race June 10, news reports said.
“Mayor Ken Mathew was sworn in on June 20th in front of a packed house in our Council Chambers,” said a statement with a photo, on the Stafford city website.
Another Indian American, Missouri City Mayor Robin Elackatt, administered the oath of office as Mathew, surrounded by family members, sported a big smile, and hugged Mayor Elakatt after the ceremony.
Mayor Mathew was also gifted a personalized gavel from Mayor Elackatt. He was also presented with a Texas State flag that was flown over the Texas State Capitol Building in Austin, from State Representative Ron Reynolds.
Mayor Mathew has served as Vice President of the Board of Directors at the Stafford Economic Development Corporation from 2008, along with being a City Council member.
He previously served on the Planning and Zoning Commission.
He has worked closely with Houston Community College, Fort Bend, as an Advisory Board member. He is a member and a Sunday school teacher of the St. Thomas Orthodox Church.
Mayor Mathew is the past Chief Editor of the news magazine of MAGH.
In a telephone interview with The New Indian Express, Mathew said, “The support I received from people of different ethnic backgrounds has been instrumental in securing this victory.”
The newspaper also quotes him saying,“I am extremely thrilled and proud, not just for myself but also for the Indian community of Stafford. The unwavering support from the community played a crucial role in achieving this victory.”
He is reported to have immigrated to the US in the 1970s. After completing a degree at the University of Bombay, Mathew joined his wife Leelamma in Detroit where she was studying at the University of Detroit, TNIE reported. Mathew went on to get an MBA degree from the University of Detroit and is the Accounting Manager with Flextronics Systems Texas Ltd. in Stafford.
The couple has been living in Stafford since 1982. Originally from Krishnapuram in Kayamkulam, Tamil Nadu, Mayor Mathew and Leelamma have two daughters, Midhu and Soosan, both of whom are studying to be doctors in Houston, the TNIE reported.
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