About the Mayor

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James Douglas Stewart, Jr. has over 33 years of experience in public and personal finances. He was employed at the United States Postal Service for 12 years as an accountant before embarking on a journey to teach individuals how to manage money by using biblical principles. He has served the last seven years as the City Clerk for the City of Irondale, in which his responsibilities were to administer a 25-million-dollar budget and to be the custodian of records on city affairs such as resolutions, ordinances, insurance policies, contracts, deeds, and revenue disbursements. Additionally, he was responsible for analyzing investment statements and supervising the issuance of business licenses, permits, and car tags.

James is a graduate of Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Business in Accounting. He is also graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Master of Public Administration program. During his pursuit to obtain an MPA, he was inducted into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi and Pi Alpha Alpha, the International Honor Society of Public Affairs and Administrators. He was also 1 out of 35 individuals selected after a competitive application process, that included close to 100 applicants from 27 states, to participate in the first ever Government Finance Officers Association Leadership Academy in 2019.

Since becoming the City Clerk, James has received the prestigious Certified Municipal Clerk designation from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks and completed the Master Municipal Clerk Academy at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. He is also a Certified Municipal Revenue Officer, a Certified Municipal Court Magistrate by the Administrative Office of Courts for the State of Alabama, a Certified Alabama Planning and Zoning Official by the University of North Alabama’s Alabama Planning Institute, and a Certified Governmental Accounting Technician by the Government Finance Officers Association.

James also served the City of Irondale as a Councilor for approximately six years. During this time, he served as Mayor Pro Tempore’, chaired the Finance and Library Committees, and assisted on the Economic Development, Fire Department, Senior Citizens, Public Relations, and Public Works/Utilities Committees.

James has served on several boards at the local, state, and national government levels. He is the President of the Irondale Downtown Redevelopment Authority and the President of the Greater Irondale Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of the National League of Cities Community and Economic Development Committee and the Small Cities Steering Council. Additionally, he participated at the state level by serving as a member of Irondale’s Community and Economic Development Committee.

James was a graduate of Leadership Birmingham class of 2010. He has received several public service awards and has attended two of the most prestigious universities in the country to study community and economic development. He was awarded a certificate from the Harvard University Divinity School Summer Leadership Institute for completing their Faith-Based Community Development Program in 2004. He also earned a certificate from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton Business School for completing its Economic Development Program through the International Council of Shopping Centers. He received a Bronze Award for completing 16 hours of coursework in the National League of Cities Achievement Leadership Program. He also finished 80 hours of coursework in the Alabama League of Municipalities Advanced Certified Municipal Officers program.

James was the Pastor of The Lighthouse from 2010-2014. He currently attends Church of the Highlands, where he is a Small Group Leader.

James and his wife, Kimberly, have been married and residents of the Stoneridge and Old Overton Trail communities, Irondale neighborhoods, for 30 years. They have two children; Jade (26) is a graduate of Columbia University’s Master of Fine Arts Writing Program, and Christian (21), a rising senior, is majoring in Accounting at Birmingham Southern College.