of Daphne, Alabama
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The Platform
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Introductory Speech at the Lake Forest Mayor's Forum |
Daphne Voting Locations
Polls are open from 7 AM to 7 PM on Tuesday, August 26!!!
| District 1 | Boys & Girls Club 1317 Johnson Road |
| District 2 | Nicholson Center 1410 Captain O'Neal Dr. (corner of College and Capt O'Neal) |
| District 3 | Fire Station # 2 28280 North Main Street |
| District 4 & 5 | Daphne Civic Center (corner of Hwy 98 & Whispering Pines) Next to Library |
| District 6 & 7 | Trojan Hall (corner of CR 13 & Lawson Rd) Next to Daphne High School |
Ernie Berger Announces Bid for Mayor of Daphne
April 23, 2008
Ernie Berger has announced his intention to run for the office of Mayor of Daphne.
Berger, 64, served as president and chief executive officer of MTS, Inc, a national physician networking and management company from 1993-2000. Prior to that, he was a senior human resources executive with General Electric where he worked for more than 21 years.
His management experience includes strategic visioning and planning, complex organizational development and design, contract negotiations and public sector mediation. He holds a bachelor of science in economics and labor relations from Cornell University and has completed graduate studies in public administration and economic modeling. He has also attended advanced management training at the GE Management Institute. He is a senior human resources consultant with Paladin Associates, an Atlanta based business turn-around consultancy.
Berger moved to Daphne in 2004 having founded Santa America which has since grown to become the largest volunteer service organization of its type in the nation. He continues to serve as president of the group that currently has more than 300 volunteers in 44 states and six foreign countries. Volunteer Santas and elves regularly visit children in hospice or those suffering from chronic illness or post traumatic stress disorders. Locally, Santa America supports other organizations that serve special needs children such as Mercy Medical System, USA Children and Women's Hospital, Thomas Hospital, Mobile Infirmary, Covenant and Odyssey Hospices, Ronald McDonald House; the annual Rileigh and Raylee's Angel Ride; Toys for Tots; the American Cancer Society, and SEEDS, Daphne's education foundation. He will continue to visit special children and families as a Santa volunteer.
In explaining his decision to run, Berger points to a truly historic opportunity presented by the upcoming mayoral election to move Daphne up and into a new era that must deal with rapid growth and infrastructure development in a responsible planned manner based on continuous citizen input and support. He says he will focus on fiscal responsibility as a top priority and intends to build on the skills and abilities of city employees, volunteer organizations and the strengths and contributions of previous administrations. Berger plans to engage citizens in developing a strategic vision that honors Daphne's rich history and traditions while preparing effectively for a very active future.
He is a US Army veteran. He is a member of the board of directors of Olde Towne Daphne Association. He is a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and has served on church council. He is an avid outdoorsman and historical reenactor and is actively participating in preparations for Baldwin County's 200th anniversary. He is a lifelong motorcyclist and is a member of the local and national Harley Owners Group.
Berger has 4 children and 6 grandchildren who live throughout the Southeast.
Berger to Run for Daphne Mayor
Baldwin Register
April 27, 2008
Ernie Berger, the white-bearded founder of the nonprofit Santa America, has announced he will run for mayor of Daphne.
"Good work has been done by the current and past administrations. In my view, I'm not running against anyone's record," Berger said. "I'm just giving back to the community I chose."
Berger said his management experience includes strategic visioning and planning, complex organizational development and design, contract negotiations and public sector mediation. He holds a bachelor's degree in economics and labor relations from Cornell University.
He said this year's mayoral race represents a "historic opportunity" to move city government into "a new era that must deal with rapid growth and infrastructure development in a responsible, planned manner, based on continuous citizen input and support."
Berger, who was born in New Jersey, moved to Daphne in 2004, shortly after founding Santa America in Baldwin County, a hospice Santa program that today includes 300 volunteers 44 states and six foreign countries. Through the organization, volunteer Santas and elves visit children in hospice or those suffer ing from chronic illness or post-traumatic stress.
Berger grew up in Lake Luzerne in New York at the foot of the Adirondack Mountains.
After attending Cornell University, he went to Europe to fulfill a two-year ROTC commitment, first in France and later in Germany. He then spent 21 years working in human resources at General Electric Co.
In 1993, he founded Medical Transition Strategies, a physicians networking and management firm, and served as president until 2000.
In 1999, Berger and his wife, Darcy, bought a condominium in Gulf Shores. The same year, Berger's wife was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She was in hospice care 14 months before she died.
While caring for his wife, Berger became attached to a baby girl who was also in hospice care, also dying. Three years after the baby and his wife died, he founded Santa America.
Locally, Santa America supports other organizations that serve special needs children, including the University of South Alabama Women's and Children's Hospital, Thomas Hospital, Mobile Infirmary, the annual Rileigh and Raylee Angel Ride and Supporting Educational Enrichment in Daphne's Schools, Daphne's education foundation.
In the August race, Berger will face Harry Brown, a former three-term mayor of Daphne, who announced in March that he will again run for the head office of Baldwin County's largest city. Mayor Fred Small has not announced whether he will run for re-election.
Daphne's mayor serves a four-year term. Small earns $60,000 per year, but the City Council recently increased the next mayor's salary by 25 percent to $75,000.