The protected press and the tenured teachers have now done what they set out to do. If you want a do-nothing leader, Jim Catanzaro is not the man for you.
He is an achiever. He gets things done. It is impossible to get great things done without stepping on a few toes or bruising a few egos.
He knows how to untangle red tape or cut through it when necessary.
I don’t know him, personally, but about 10 years ago I took off from work two afternoons a week to attend class at Chattanooga State. I saw, first-hand that it had become a magnificent institution. Since that time it has grown, and it is even more valuable to the community. It is no exaggeration to suggest that it played a large part in Volkswagen’s decision to expand here rather than elsewhere.
II won’t say good luck to Mr. C. because he won’t need luck. Wherever he goes he will keep building; keep improving; and keep making things better for the beneficiaries of his labors.
Jody Baker