Polite. Congenial. Mild-tempered. Genuine. Diplomatic. Even-keeled. A consensus builder.
From those who know Greg Anderson, the list of positive adjectives quickly flows and often has the same tenor.
The negatives? Those are a little harder to pin down regarding the City Council president.
His terrible golf game, one banking colleague joked. His affinity for the University of Georgia Bulldogs, a fellow council member quipped.
Anderson would say his reticence in certain situations.
“I would rather listen than speak,” he said. “It’s one of the things I’d like to work on.”
While the negatives might be hard to discern, it’s the positives that many believe make Anderson the perfect fit for leading council this year.
It’s a period when 11 of the 19-member group and a new mayor are taking on their roles for the first time.
The EverBank senior banking officer understands this challenge. But he’s also prepared — like others, he thinks his manner and skill set will be crucial when it comes to leading.
“I have a vision for Jacksonville,” he said, “and that vision is that we really achieve our full potential.”
It will take teamwork on many fronts to achieve that. But, then again, that’s what many think he’s best at.
Wanting to make a difference
Anderson always has been the studious kind, in more than just his time in politics.
A banking career brought him to Jacksonville in 1984, where he met his wife of 26 years, Beville.
Soon thereafter, Anderson was recruited by Mellon Bank and relocated to Pittsburgh. More than a decade later, though, it was back home to Jacksonville with their sons, Mac and Quillan.
Through the years, Anderson had worked with nonprofits but said he felt if he was going to make a difference, it needed to be in a leadership role.
So he turned his eyes to City Hall, where he got his first taste after being appointed to the Taxation, Revenue and Utilization of Expenditures Commission, commonly referred to as the TRUE Commission. The commission serves as an advisory group to the city regarding fiscal policy.
Former TRUE Commission Chair John Palombi said he hasn’t been surprised by Anderson’s leadership ascension, as he was a “very good talent” with a congenial personality and calm manner.
Palombi said Anderson played a large role in coming up with measurements to hold city-funded agencies accountable, along with a review of procurement policies.
And if he ever grew tired of a discussion, he never showed it.
“I’m sure he got frustrated on some level, but you really wouldn’t observe a change in his demeanor,” Palombi said.
It’s a trait others have taken note of over the years, too.
The next step
Anderson said when he decided to run for council in 2011, he went for an at-large seat. He had a “big picture” mentality.
“I felt the issues I most focused on, like financial stability and quality of life, were citywide issues,” he said.
Former council President Kevin Hyde was term-limited for the seat Anderson was interested in. The two also happened to be neighborhood friends. Hyde gave him advice, namely on how to balance the demands of work and public service.
Curt Cunkle, EverBank’s president of North Florida banking, remembers when Anderson approached him about the idea. It was during a lunch Anderson initiated with him and EverBank Chairman and CEO Rob Clements.
Anderson didn’t come across as overly political in his viewpoints, Cunkle said, and it would be “well worth it” to have someone of his caliber dually serve the city and represent the company.
“We realized it was going to be a big sacrifice, time-consuming for him,” Cunkle said.
If elected, his role with the company could be shifted to have more of a community focus — while at the same time serving almost as a “walking billboard” for EverBank.
He ended up winning a tight runoff against fellow Republican Jim Robinson, who later became the city’s Public Works director.
The time to help the city as a whole had arrived.
Personality a plus
His four years on the job have been filled with myriad responsibilities.
He’s been head of the all-important Finance Committee. Overseen the Courthouse Oversight Special Committee. Served with a group that’s taken on a massive review of the Capital Improvement Plan.
And he was the lone council representative on a community Retirement Reform Task Force, a group whose work largely was the foundation for pension reform.
All the while, he’s had a knack for being the steady hand who never seems to get flustered, even in the toughest, most contentious situations.
“What you see is what you get,” said Rena Coughlin, the Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida CEO who has worked with Anderson in his professional and council role. “He’s always polite … He is quite good at helping people find compromise because of his manner. He tries to find the positive in situations, which is really remarkable in politics, I think.”
Ken Reddick, Riverside Fine Arts board director and a longtime friend, said the good-natured demeanor isn’t an act.
“I’ve never seen him flare up or anyone really ruffle his feathers,” said Reddick. “He is even-keeled, a good listener who can communicate anything with anyone.”
Hyde said he hasn’t seen frustration in Anderson publicly, nor privately.
Cunkle said Anderson “doesn’t need to be the loudest voice in the room” and has been blessed with a talent to keep his frustrations hidden.
Bill Gulliford, his council colleague the past four years, said it’s an admirable quality that hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“He may need to teach me that sometimes,” said Gulliford, who’s never been one to hold back.
John Crescimbeni, another council colleague who never has been afraid to let an opinion fly, called Anderson diplomatic, always courteous and able to build consensus.
“He’s that Southern gentleman … and has that way of speaking that puts people at ease,” he said.
For his part, Anderson doesn’t quite agree with his observers about being frustrated at times.
“I can assure you that’s not that case,” he said with a laugh.
“I tend to,” he said, before pausing for a moment. “I try to manage myself so that I am thoughtful and respectful in the way I approach an issue. I try to take the politics out of a situation and look at it based on the facts.”
That mentality is what many of those interviewed believe make him an ideal choice to lead during a period of such transition.
“It’s the best thing for new people coming on board,” said Gulliford. “He cares about them.”
The year ahead
Anderson admits he often holds his thoughts back. He would rather listen than speak and does research during committee weeks to have his questions answered by the time it’s time to vote. When new information arises, though, he’ll press for an answer.
But he wants to change that during his year as the council leader. He wants to be more active and visible in council debates that will have so many new voices.
The city’s financial stability will continue to be a focal point — much like it was when he ran for office — in the months ahead as a budget is crafted.
He’d like to take a look at the city’s glut of public buildings to determine what can be put on the market and generate revenue. And public safety is at the top of his list, much as it is on Mayor Lenny Curry’s.
During his swearing-in ceremony, Anderson asked the question of what Jacksonville is known for. His answer was being the “biggest small town ever” in the cordial, respectful way people treat each other.
For those who have known Anderson for years or seen him in office, he’s led by example in that area.
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