Spotlight on A Chapelite!!
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A Moment in Black History!! Clermont Mayor Tim Murry, A Profile In Pride, Diversity and Community Spirit! |
Tim Murry, born July 24, 1954, is a life-long resident of Clermont, ran for the office of Clermont mayor, bringing a wealth of life experiences and knowledge to share with his community.
Mayor Murry was elected to office in November 2020, proudly holding the distinction of being the first Black Mayor of Clermont. He is the fifth child of twelve siblings, attended Lincoln Park Elementary School, graduated from Clermont High School in 1972, and went on to attend Florida A&M University. He earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.
He is married to Kassier Kyler-Murry of Ocala and has three children Timothy II, Tiffany Murry and 15-year-old daughter, Karissa Merchant.
Murry is proud to still be living in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, where he grew up. He purchased a home in the same neighborhood he grew up in and began making good on a childhood promise to give back and make a difference in the Clermont community.
In 1998, he retired after serving in the United States Air Force for nearly 23 years. He began working for the US Postal Service where he remained for 21 years. Mayor Murry is one of the founders and current president of the non-profit organization Christian Men in Action. He has hosted a series of Town Hall meetings for residents to voice their issues and concerns. to the Mayor, Chief of Police and City Manager. Murry personally took on the responsibility of successfully initiating and opening a Boys and Girls Club in Clermont.
Murry is a highly active supporter to help the city, community and political efforts. He served on the Clermont Planning & Zoning Board, South Lake Boys & Girls Club Advisory Board, Lincoln Park Community Impact Committee, Vice-President of Lincoln Park South Lake Alliance and Vice-Chair of New Jacob’s Chapel Missionary Baptist Church Board of Trustees. He also served on Clermont’s Code Enforcement Board, Citizens Advisory Task Force for Community Development Block Grant, Chaired East Ridge Middle School Student Advisory Committee and as President of South Lake Democratic Club for six years. If that is not enough to keep him busy, he is a member of Lake County Democratic Black Caucus, the South Lake Black Achievers, Veterans of Foreign Wars and a Florida Notary.
Mayor Murry wants to keep Clermont a safe, growing community. He states……“I am very proud to be the first Black Mayor!” Clermont is a diverse, multicultural community and I’m hoping everyone recognizes and celebrates diversity”. As the Mayor of Clermont, Murry said he wants to be the voice representing all residents. He wants to enhance the city’s quality of life, improve public safety, provide fiscally responsible leadership and give special priority to youth.
Spotlight on A Chapelite!!
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A Moment in Black History!! Today, we honor a famous aviator…. Captain Donnie L. Cochran!! |
Donnie L. Cochran was the first African-American aviator selected to the United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron (Blue Angels) in 1986. Cochran later assumed command of the Blue Angels in 1994.[1]
He was born July 6, 1954, on a farm near Pelham, Georgia. Graduated from Savannah State College in 1976, earning a degree in civil engineering technology and commission in the United States Navy. He was a graduate of the Air War College in Montgomery, Alabama, and earned a master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Troy State University.
In September 1985, he was the first African-American pilot selected to fly with the United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, The Blue Angels. In July 1994, he was selected as the first African-American commanding officer and flight leader of the Blue Angels.
Cochran completed flight school, earned his Navy “Wings of Gold” in 1978 after completing basic jet training in the T-2C Buckeye, and advanced jet training in the TA-4J Skyhawk. In 1985, Captain Cochran was selected as a Blue Angels pilot. He was the first African American pilot to fly with the Blue Angels and flew for three seasons (1986-1988). In 1986, Captain Cochran flew the left wingman position flying the number 3 jet in the A-4F.
Following three years of flying with the Blue Angels, Captain Cochran was assigned to the Bounty Hunters of VF-2 for department head tour as the squadron’s maintenance officer.
Cochran flew over 24 missions and earned an air medal.
In November 1994, Cochran assumed command as the first African American commanding officer and flight leader of the Blue Angels at a ceremony at National Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola, Florida. He led the team for 16 months until May 1996. In May 1996, he made the decision to “step down as flight leader.
Cochran believes his lessons learned on leadership, team dynamics and individual performance are vital to anyone in a leadership role or a member of a high-performance team:
After leaving the Blue Angels, Cochran served as the commanding officer of the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Unit (NROTC), at Florida A & M University, with cross-town enrollment with Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida, from August 1996 until July 1999.
During his final assignment, he served as the deputy commander of Navy Recruiting Command, second in command of over 7,000 people at over 1,500 locations around the nation and abroad. Captain Cochran retired from the U.S. Navy with over 24 years of leadership and aviation expertise.
On May 10, 1991, Savannah State University dedicated a static display A-4 aircraft on the university’s campus in honor of Cochran’s achievements. The static display contains an A4 jet painted in the Blue Angel’s traditional colors of blue and gold and a dedication plaque with the inscription:
IN HONOR OF COMMANDER DONNIE COCHRAN, U.S. NAVY THE FIRST BLACK NAVAL AVIATOR TO COMMAND THE BLUE ANGELS FLIGHT DEMONSTRATION TEAM.
In August 2015, Donnie Cochran was honored by Georgia’s Governor, Nathan Deal in the renaming of the old Pelham’s Detention Center to the Donnie Cochran Community Complex. In December 2016 he was inducted into the Georgia Military Veteran Hall of Fame. Captain Cochran currently resides in Clermont, Florida. He and his lovely wife, Emarvanay have been married for over 30 years. They are proud parents of 4 children and 6 grandchildren. We are proud to call him a “Chapelite!”