JEFFERSON SHREVE
By Duncan
Thursday was a busy day. I was invited to a luncheon by Aaron Koenig and Loretta Sawaski (Program Chair) held by the Sertoma Club East of Indianapolis. The lunch was being held at Jim George’s Neighbourhood Grill on Binford Blvd, just south of 71st Street.
Then, I happened to realize the football season was kicking off later in the evening. “Kicking off” an interesting way to say “Start.” So I settled in my easy chair to see all the hoop-la the NFL was going to throw at me. Kansas City versus The Lions.
Let me get this off my chest. I realize Kansas City could have beaten the Lions “IF.” If the passes Patrick Mahomes threw would have been caught by the receivers. Now, this sounds like I wanted Kansas City to win. I really didn’t care who won. I live in Indianapolis, and our team is the Indianapolis Colts. But it was obvious: in order to win the football game you need a guy who knows how to throw the ball. But just as important, you need a guy to catch the ball.
Okay, I will continue to preach with that out of the way. You can apply this principle to almost everything. Jim George can’t run a restaurant without other people performing their jobs. The location of the restaurant is important: presentation, friendly and courteous wait staff, people in the kitchen who prepare the food, sometimes called cooks. It’s like a gear that needs to interface with another gear to make the wheels go around. And Jim George makes the wheels go around.
Jim George, Owner of George’s - Jefferson Shreve
Now, let me back up on Wednesday. Each Wednesday, a bunch of retired police officers gather to have lunch. A high school classmate of mine, John Etchinson, suggested I join the group just for shits and giggles. I told John, I’m not, nor have I ever been, a policeman unless you count the four years I wore the United States Air Force badge. But being a policeman in the United States Air Force is a completely different story.
Anyway, I was sitting with this esteemed group of retired law enforcement officers Wednesday and mentioned I was invited to a lunch offered by the Sertoma Club East of Indianapolis.
“Are you going?”
“Yeah I think so, the program chair for Sertoma, Aaron Koenig, wants me to come and listen to the speaker they have this week.”
“Who is speaking?”
“Jefferson Shreve, Republican, running for Mayor of Indianapolis.”
Well, the boys raised an eyebrow and had comments they wanted or needed to make. I’m not sure I remember all of them, but the basic feedback was,
“Indianapolis, or Marion County’s demographic, is weighted to the Democratic side. (60/40) Shreve hasn’t got a chance. He’s spending all this money on TV, and what good will it do him?”
“So, are you saying I’m wasting my time to hear what he has to say?”
“No, of course not if you enjoy doing that.”
Another comment: “Do me a favor and ask him about police training. You ask him! And watch him gloss over the question. Then tell us next week what he had to say.” I didn’t realize it was an emotional subject.
For those of you who do not live in Indianapolis, let me give you my take on this Mayoral election. This election for Mayor is for the center of Indianapolis. The center county of Indianapolis is called Marion county. I live across the county line in Hamilton County. I don’t vote for the Mayor of Indianapolis. I don’t have a pony in this race.
The Democrat Joe Hogsett is running for his third term as the Mayor of Indianapolis.
The Republican Jefferson Shreve is running for his first term as Mayor of Indianapolis.
Okay, so it’s time to head over to Gerorge’s Neighborhood Grill.
I arrived early to get a good seat, as Aaron cautioned. The club slowly started arriving and hunting for their favorite seat. Today, the restaurant is going to serve the group cafeteria style. The offerings were a mixed salad, chicken fingers, cheeseburger sliders, unsweetened iced tea, and water. I was headed back to my seat when the guest of honor and speaker came in the door.
Jefferson Shreve - Audrey Spear - Duncan
I had a place full of food, I smiled and introduced myself to the man.
“My name is Duncan, I believe you know yours!”
He paused, then said, “My name is Jefferson Shreve.”
The rest of the meeting and the time I spent at Sertoma was enjoying the conversations of the other guests, and listening to Jefferson. I only know what I read online and in the papers about Mr. Shreve. He is (56 years old) Jefferson founded his first business idea when he got out of college. With thirty years of business experience (Storage Express) he grew the business into the largest storage company headquartered in Indiana with more than 125 storage facilities across six states.
It is also rumored that he sold his business. Look very closely at the term used here … “Total consideration for the acquisition was approximately” (being very careful the way this number is expressed) $590 million. I guess we would need to talk with Extra Space Storage who bought the business to see if this number of $590 million is valid. But, whatever the number, I think it’s safe to say we now know where the money is coming from for all those TV ads we see all the time.
According to a campaign finance report filed, Jefferson Shreve spent $1.4 million from February to April 7, blanketing the city with campaign mailers and TV and radio ads. (Again, I’m getting this information from the internet. Do you know what they say about the Internet? If it’s on the internet, it must be true.) It’s also been disclosed that Shrive has given $2 million to his campaign and raised $74,000 from other sources.
Joe Hogsett spent $160,000 as of April 7.
I need to disclose I’m not a political junky. I’m retired. I have had my day chasing the all-mighty dollar and being in charge of people. I tend to lean back and watch other people be committed to whatever it is that floats their boat. I realize that politics is a great divider of people. So, I try to stay away from politics. You see, it was drummed into my head by my mother (Lucy) that there are three things you don’t talk about in polite society: Politics, Sex, and Religion.
Jefferson Shreve - Duncan
In listening to Jefferson as he gave his talk, I realized, there are several key issues that a candidate had to address in order to be elected. If a politician takes a position on one issue that “I” (the collective “I”) doesn’t like, then everything else he or she says is foreboding or is the word “verboten?”
Growing up in the 50s and 60s, I was taught by my parents to be self-sufficient. There are consequences to my actions. And I will accept responsibility for my own actions. It boils down to the family unit. And perhaps that is where my take on how to live my life came from.
Carlos Simpson - For the past 13 years, Carlos has served on the downtown Indianapolis Sertoma Club board. In November 2014, he was appointed to the Indianapolis Greenways Development Committee by the Indianapolis City-County Council. He currently serves as Secretary of the Indianapolis Greenways Development. (Right) - Jefferson Shreve
I will peruse my notes and tell you the subjects Jefferson touched on. Crime, police, infrastructure, education, charter schools, trade schools, retaining college educated to remain in Indianapolis. Mr. Shreve indicated that 60% of voters polled believe Indianapolis is on the wrong track. And I had to chuckle when he ended his speech with the following statement.
I’m no longer a businessman. I’m a politician. Being a politician is hard work. I can run the city better than my opponent. As a politician, I’m asking for your vote.
Why did I chuckle? In my life as a salesman, a couple of things had to happen to make a sale.
“First, you must talk to the decision maker; second, ASK for the sale.”
