Ralph J. Figy
Ralph J. Figy | |
|---|---|
| Acting Mayor of Westfield | |
| Assumed office November 12, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Brian P. Sullivan |
| Succeeded by | Donald Humason, Jr. (elect) |
| Member of the Westfield City Council from Ward 2 | |
| Assumed office January 2014 | |
| Preceded by | James E. Brown, Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ralph James Figy 1951 (age 72–73) |
| Political party | Independent[1] |
| Spouse(s) | Susan |
| Children | Sean Lauren |
| Residence | Westfield, Massachusetts |
| Education | Anderson University North Adams State College |
Ralph James Figy[2] (born c. 1951)[3] is an American politician, former school counselor, realtor, high school sports coach, and current member of the Westfield City Council from Ward 2. He has served as the Acting Mayor of Westfield since Brian Sullivan's resignation to join the Baker Administration.
Early life & education[edit]
Ralph grew up in Wauseon, Ohio.[4] He is one of the three sons of James Figy and Hazel May who also had daughter named Marsha.[5] His father has worked as a poultry farmer for over 52 years.[5]
Education[edit]
He graduated from Wauseon High School in Ohio in 1969[6] and later graduated from Anderson University in Indiana with a Bachelor's degree in political science and education.[3][7][4] He later earned a Master's degree in education and guidance counseling from North Adams State College.[4]
Career[edit]
When he moved to Williamstown, Massachusetts in 1973, he landed a job as a managerial trainee with Sprague Electric in North Adams.[4] The money he earned from this job helped pay half the cost of him obtaining his master's degree in education and guidance counseling at North Adams State College.[4]
Soon after, he was laid off and later worked as a forest ranger and ski supervisor at Mount Greylock before going to work for the Massachusetts Department of Social Services as an investigator.[4]
He ran a equipment rental shop for a ski tour company at Baystate West in the 1980s when he met his wife, Susan.[4]
He served as a counselor, math teacher, social studies teacher, and special education teacher at Agawam High School from 1988 to 2012.[3][1][4] He coached junior varsity soccer and indoor track at Westfield High School while as a counselor at Agawam High School.[8]
He and his wife are part of the Figy Realty Team for Coldwell Banker, which has locations in Western Massachusetts.[8]
He has been mentoring students at Westfield Technical Academy and coaching the school's varsity cross country teams since about 2012.[8]
Political career[edit]
Figy won the election held on November 5, 2013 for the Ward 2 seat of the Westfield City Council after defeating challengers Carl Vincent and Brian S. Winters.[9] He succeeded James E. Brown, Jr.[10] who resigned in 2012.[1] He was sworn in as a member of the council in January 2014.
In 2019, he was elected City Council President.[2]
He currently serves as the acting Mayor of Westfield. Brian Sullivan resigned on November 8, 2019 to join the Baker Administration as the Director of Green Communities within the Massachusetts Department of Energy and Environmental Affairs.[11]
Personal life[edit]
Ralph and his wife Susan have two children who are both graduates of Westfield Public Schools. Sean is a Reconstructive Microsurgeon at the Buffett Cancer Center in Omaha, Nebraska and Lauren is the Supervisor of Science, Technology, and Engineering for the Westfield Public School District.[3]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 https://www.masslive.com/republican_test/2013/04/figy_seeking_westfield_ward_2.html
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Council profile
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Incumbent profile
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Plus, Profile (September 11, 2003). "MEET Ralph J. Figy". The Republican. Springfield, Massachusetts.
|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ↑ 5.0 5.1 Jim and Hazel Figy: A Lifetime of Volunteering Together
- ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20191111182603/https://whsclassof1969.wixsite.com/whs-class-of-1969/class-of-1969
- ↑ Facebook profile
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 WTA cross-country coach Ralph Figy is “loving life”
- ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20191111193115/https://westfieldpolice.org/DocumentCenter/View/1651/2013-11-05-City-Election
- ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20191111195125/https://westfieldpolice.org/DocumentCenter/View/301/2011-11-08-City-Election
- ↑ Westfield mayor stepping down next week
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