A Kenyan has made history for being appointed in the US State cabinet as the new commissioner of Commerce and Insurance. He will be serving in the government of Tennessee Governor, Bill Lee.
Hodgen Mainda, who is 42 years of age, first moved to the United States in 1997 as a rugby player. He is not new to politics as he has previously been working in government relations and business development roles in Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga.
His elevation to this post proves how immensely talented and dedicated he is in the rough terrains of the political arena of the United States, particularly as a black person.
Also, his elevation is a monumental feat as he has become the first Kenyan to hold such a position in the State of Tennessee.
His track record is much impressive. He serves on the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Chattanooga Rotary Club, the United Way of Greater Chattanooga, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Chancellor's Roundtable and the College of Business Advisory Board. Apart from that, his work with the Electric Power Board of Chattanooga (EPB) resulted in the solid creation of strategic partnerships that bolstered the role of the EPB in the economic development of the region.
In regard to the appointment, Governor Lee said, "Hodgen joins my cabinet after an outstanding career as a community leader in Chattanooga."
"He is respected for his ability to build partnerships across multiple sectors and we welcome his leadership to such a multifaceted department like Commerce and Insurance. And there is optimism accompanying the appointment.
State Rep. Robin Smith, the chairman of the House Insurance Committee cited, "I am thrilled for the state of Tennessee to have such a wonderful young leader in such a very important role. Hodgen will do a fantastic job based on his history of working on a number of projects in the Hamilton County area."