Elias Hendricks

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Elias Hendricks Jr (born 1947) is owner of H & H Real Estate Development and Wee Care Academy. He is a former marketing manager for BellSouth Services and represented District 5 in the Birmingham City Council from 2001 to 2005.

Hendricks is the son of Elias "Bud" Hendricks, a restaurateur and union leader who ran unsuccessfully for City Council in 1977. Elias, Jr grew up in Birmingham, including some years at the Smithfield Housing Community. He earned his bachelor of arts in history and psychology from Clark College in Atlanta. After that, he spent time in the Peace Corps in Africa in the late 1960s, earning a Master's in African History from the University of Ghana and then an MBA from Pace University in New York City. In 1968 he served on the honor guard that stood over the coffin of Martin Luther King, Jr with his Alpha Phi Alpha brothers.

Hendricks and his wife Gaynell returned to Birmingham for him to work for BellSouth Services. He rose to an executive position and was serving as personnel manager when he was invited to participate int he Leadership Birmingham Class of 1989. Hendricks took early retirement in the late 1990s to redevelop the Transportation Building in 1st Avenue North into loft apartments and a space for the expansion of Gaynell's Wee Care Academy day-care chain.

In November 2001, Hendricks upset former City Council President William Bell to represent District 5. He was known during his term as a champion of downtown development and a supporter of the creation of a new City Center Master Plan. Bell defeated him in the 2005 election. When he resigned to take his place on the Jefferson County Commission, the Council selected Johnathan Austin to fill his seat. Hendricks put his name in to challenge Austin in the 2009 race.

In his 2009 campaign, Hendricks has stressed the importance of the city's long-term financial health and the creation of planning and development strategies in order to maximize job opportunities. Although he forced a runoff between himself and Austin, Hendricks narrowly lost the runoff.

The Hendricks' have a daughter, Daagye born in 1978 and twin boys, Elias III and Shia, born in 1987.

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