After 20 years in the business and non-profit sector, Jeff Barbour returned to college as a gray-haired student in the late 1990s. Today he is the newly elected treasurer of Winchester 鈥� a city of 27,000 with a 300-year history in northwest Virginia 鈥� and a graduate of 91短视频 with a bachelor’s degree in .
Barbour knows the value and the cost of a promise.
In early 2013 as he pondered running for treasurer of Winchester, Barbour contacted the long-time seatholder, R. Mark Garber, to ascertain whether he would be standing for election again. No, said Garber, citing health issues and adding he would be happy to endorse Barbour鈥檚 candidacy, with one condition: Barbour had to go door-to-door to introduce himself as a candidate to as many city residents as possible. Garber died in May 2013, before he could see Barbour live up to that promise when he began campaigning in earnest that August.
Although Barbour鈥檚 candidacy was unopposed, he felt committed to walking through all of the neighborhoods, street by street, in Winchester. 鈥淭he biggest surprise is that although the houses look real close when you drive around the city, when you鈥檙e walking you realize how many steps there are.鈥� From Aug. 1 until election day on Nov. 5 these walks consumed 鈥渁ll the free time I had 鈥� evenings, Saturdays鈥� two services at church on Sunday morning, then back out again after grabbing a quick bite of lunch.鈥� During three months of evening walks, he estimates he made contact with nearly 90 percent of Winchester鈥檚 voters, shaking hands and talking about the city and the office of the treasurer.
During his weekdays, Barbour commuted to his job as deputy treasurer for the City of Fairfax, where he had worked since 2002. In his other major role (one continuing to this day), Barbour served as the executive pastor for the , giving one of the two Sunday morning sermons, doing home and hospital visits as needed, and taking care of other church business.
鈥淚 love helping people,鈥� said Barbour, by way of explaining his pleasure at being elected treasurer. 鈥淲hether it鈥檚 working out payment plans to help people get their bills paid, or making sure we all have the services we expect, I love doing it.鈥�
In his new lunchtime routine, Barbour heads home from his office for an hour of interaction with his wife Kim and their 3-year-old grandson Porter, under Kim鈥檚 care during weekdays. 鈥淚 grab a quick sandwich, and then it鈥檚 down on the floor playing,鈥� Barbour says with a chuckle. 鈥淚t keeps you young.鈥�
Barbour鈥檚 return to school in the late 1990s was encouraged by a close childhood friend, who also wanted to complete her undergraduate degree. They began looking for a program that would fit their busy schedules. 91短视频鈥檚 mission and values seemed particularly attractive to Barbour, as he was then working with , a humanitarian assistance and relief organization.
鈥淲e hopped into the car one day to see what it was all about, and we were welcomed with open arms. It was wonderful, I loved Eastern Mennonite,鈥� says Barbour. 鈥淓ven though I was walking in with gray hair and a gray beard, everyone was so accepting. It all worked out, the instructors and administration 鈥� they all bent over backwards to help us out.鈥�
鈥淲e were in class #13, so we called it lucky number 13.鈥� At the end of his 15 months of study within a cohort of , his classmates voted for Barbour to receive its Distinguished Student Award.
Soon after graduating in 1999, Barbour began his career in public service. While with the City of Fairfax, he earned certification through the and through the as a Master Deputy Treasurer.
鈥淕od has opened the doors that needed to be opened and closed the ones that are closed,鈥� Barbour said of his journey to city treasurer. 鈥淚t all started with Eastern Mennonite, with getting my bachelor鈥檚 degree. Through all of that God saw each step that I took, and it was truly a blessing.鈥�