Frances Akridge is known in the community at large as the city council representative 2018-2022 a time of tremendous change in the city. Regardless of the status that implies, she likes to be seen simply, as her father James Henry Windt described all people, “a human being, doing the best she can”. As a younger woman, Frances noticed that her own family was the most diverse group of people in her multiple spheres of influence, partly because of the DNA differences in the exome and more so because of the variety of the personalities, temperament, and intellects of all her younger siblings. She acknowledges that the differences were challenging, instructive, and ultimately supportive of her future endeavors. Her family moved about every three years for her father’s career in the Air Force. Children of military families are often either extremely introverted because of the frequent changes or extremely extroverted and Frances is clearly an extrovert and does not have an aversion for change, rather, she is comfortable with the adage: the only thing certain in life is change.
Frances’ mother, Dolores Tassinari Windt, said Frances was, of all the siblings, the least adverse to taking risks and that materialized in her hobbies as well as taking the path less traveled in careers and jobs. Her resume reads more like that of a millennial than a baby-boomer with 4 different industries and 12 or so different jobs under her belt. The template was set when, as a biology student, knowing she was not cut out for research in aquatic biology, she investigated the work-study program at Virginia Tech. Fortunately, the program manager agreed to use the program for career exploration instead of career expansion, and Frances landed an assignment as a teacher’s aide for special education.
Frances, like all of us, strives to overcome bias and capitalize on diversity of ideas and opinions. She was a biology major in college, so she knew first hand that bio-diversity is a model for our own ability to thrive in community. Frances has a multitude of experiences that converge to be known as a woman who is accessible, open minded, fair minded, and innovative. Her husband will let you know that she’s like good computer code: WYSIWYG- what you see is what you get. Through the Clifton Strength Finder, she discovered that her attributes as Maximizer, Negotiator, Influencer, and Promoter served well in each professional or volunteer role.
Frances is most well known for winning the election for the Huntsville, District 2 City Council seat as an “outsider”, that is, not as well known as her opponents but offering common sense and highly relevant experience. She is proud of her accomplishments between November 2018 to November 2022 in the role as legislative representative for financial stewardship, land use controversy, building effective boards and commissions, and employment mediation decisions.
Public office was a natural step forward to leverage her experience in contract management, project management, commercial real estate, and community action. She expanded and deepened the relationships that she built with the city administration in her first 12 years as a resident of Huntsville. Upon election, she was steadfast in her commitment to hold the government accountable to its mission statement: “to provide exceptional services to all residents to improve the quality of life through the efficient use of resources.” Neighbors asked her to focus on Safety & Security, Infrastructure (more than roads), and Workforce Development and she delivered on that promise.
Frances moved to Huntsville in 2007 to join her husband. She knocked on doors and offered her time and talent as a technical coordinator for engineering firms, parlaying her experience as a project manager for AT&T Wireless. It was Ernie Wu, then CEO of ERC, Inc. who noticed Frances’ skills would add value to his contract with NASA. Soon after moving to Huntsville, she asked “what Do they Do with my taxes? ”. Putting down roots in new environments was second nature to Frances, and she cultivated relationships between neighbors and city government by contributing time, experience, and creativity to improve quality of life in her immediate neighborhood, then the NE area of the city by staying involved with a community association. Frances was an early adopter of the social media platform for neighbors, NextDoor, and became known as a voice of reason on that platform, setting up a collaborative team to use the platform as designed as intended: to be helpful, not hurtful for neighbors in a service area of 3,500 roof tops.
Frances is proud of her professional resume knowing that except for one sales position, she always earned her keep and added value beyond expectations. Her ongoing commitment to the community is through serving on the Board of the Huntsville Botanical Garden as it strives to be known in the scientific community, as a volunteer at the Huntsville Museum of Art, a contributor to HudsonAlpha Institute of BioTechnology, a promoter of the the LandTrust of North Alabama, and active member of American Association of University Women. Learn more about her professional journey at LinkedIn and contact her at [email protected].
