Carl Brewer, mayor of Wichita, Kansas, is a native of that city. Brewer, who was born in 1957, is the first African American to be elected as the mayor of the largest city in Kansas. He previously served on the Wichita City Council from 2001 to 2007. Brewer is the second African American to hold the post of Mayor. A. Price Woodard served as mayor from April 14, 1970 to April 13, 1971.
Brewer was raised in Wichita, and attended North High, where he graduated in 1975. After high school, he attended Friends University, also located in Wichita. Prior to serving on the city council, Brewer was employed as a Spirit Operations Manager for Boeing aerospace manufacturing, a Manufacture Engineer for Cessna aviation, and as a Captain for the Kansas Army National Guard. Brewer is also a member of multiple organizations, including the Arkansas Valley Masonic Lodge, the African American Catholic Council, the National Guard Association, and the Boeing Management Association.
Carl Brewer began serving on the Wichita City Council in 2001, representing District 1. He is a member of many governmental associations: the National League of Cities Board of Directors, the National Black Caucus, the Regional Economic Area Partnership (REAP), and the U.S. Conference of Mayors, to name a few.
Brewer challenged incumbent mayor Carlos Mayans and on April 3, 2007, won a landside 61% to 37% of the vote. Once elected he was required to resign from his post on the city council to take his oath as Mayor.
Mayor Brewer has also received a number of distinguished awards. In 1995, Brewer was presented the Citizen of the Year Award by from the Gamma Upsilon Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. Brewer was honored as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Person of the Year ten years later in 2005. In 2008 he was given a Distinguished Political and Civic Leader Award.
Carl Brewer is married to his wife Cathy, and has two daughters named Cheryl and Carol, and two sons named Jason and Carlo. He is currently serving
