On Thursday, March 10th, we hosted a live conversation with David Blair, candidate to County Executive.
A lifelong Montgomery County resident, David Blair is a community advocate, philanthropist, and entrepreneur working in support of civic and nonprofit organizations throughout the county to end poverty and homelessness, promote healthy living, empower children with disabilities, and provide quality early childhood education.
David believes that when an opportunity opens a door for him, it is his duty to reach back and pull the next person through. He views progress and success from the bottom up, not the top down. He is running for County Executive because he believes Montgomery County can and must do more to be accountable to the most marginal groups in our community, improve education, and create good-paying jobs.
David worked closely with the Black & Brown Coalition for Excellence in Education to advocate for Equity Hubs focused on providing in-person education to the students most at-risk of learning loss from virtual instruction. He organized business leaders from around the state to advocate for The Kirwan Commission recommendations that became The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, which updated the state’s education funding formula and focused on closing longstanding educational inequities.
He has been directly involved in many nonprofits through board and committee work – such as the Greater Washington Community Foundation Grants Committee, County Executive Ike Leggett’s Economic Advisory Group, the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, and The Universities at Shady Grove through the Entrepreneurship Lab he founded in partnership with the institution. In addition, he founded Rise and Run, a training program for Black Montgomery County residents interested in pursuing local office, and was a core supporter to help launch The Upcounty Hub, which has provided meals and critical supplies to families since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
David served as chairman and CEO of Rockville-based Catalyst Health Solutions from its founding in 1998 through 2012, growing it into a Fortune 500 company and one of Fortune’s “World’s Most Admired Companies” for the quality of its products and services and the outstanding benefits its employees received under David’s leadership. The company provided millions of Americans with more affordable prescription drugs and better access to health care.
David and Mikel are raising their six children in Montgomery County.
