Chuck Faush
Erskine Ramsay "Chuck" Faush Jr is a long-time multimedia producer and business promoter. He was chief of staff for Birmingham Mayor William Bell, He also serves as a pastor in the AME Zion Church.
Faush is one of three children born to Erskine Faush Sr and his first wife, Wilether. His father was pastor of Metropolitan AME Zion Church and co-host, with Shelley Stewart, of the "Gospel Cavalcade" program on WATV-AM. The younger Faush served as president of the Student Government Association at UAB and chaired the Council of SGA Presidents. Chuck graduated in 1989 and went to work in the office of Miles College president Albert Sloan.
Faush served as a managing partner of Ramsey & Partners and as co-producer and host of the BET Networks' "nContrast" program, which debuted in 2002. He helped to implement the "Communities in Schools" program in Georgia and Alabama. He produced the full-length documentary film "On Air: 1960s Black Radio in Birmingham," which premiered at the Alabama Theatre on February 5, 2010.
That same year, Faush joined Mayor William Bell's administration as chief of staff. While in that position he led planning efforts for the "50 Years Forward" civil rights movement anniversary, and helped garner support that resulted in the Civil Rights District being designated as a National Monument.
Faush left City Hall in March 2015 to accept the position of president of Summit Media Entertainment, a division of Birmingham-based Summit Media. He was Senior Vice President, Chief Development & Innovation Officer for the Chicago Urban League from October 2019 to January 2022, and served as an executive with Southern Company in Illinois.
He also chaired the HBCU platform, "The Yard", which has awarded $500,000 in scholarships and grants, and created “Dream Spaces" at Tennessee State University and Alabama A & M University. In 2024 he was appointed as chief innovation and growth officer for Miles College and founder-in-residence for its 2150 Center for Innovation, Commercialization & Growth business incubator.
Faush succeeded his father as pastor of Trinity AME Zion Church in Ensley, and also leads One Zion United AME Zion Church. He and his wife, Andrea, have two daughters, Brittany and Tyler.
References
- Fulmer, Ashley (March 2010) "Renaissance Man: Television host, producer, pastor, community advocate, family man and the chef [sic] of staff for Birmingham's new mayor: the many hats of Chuck Faush" B-Metro
- Bryant, Joseph D. (March 17, 2015) "Birmingham Mayor William Bell's chief of staff calling it quits after five years." The Birmingham News
- Waters, Rushing (January 31, 2019) "Top Birmingham exec Chuck Faush launches national HBCU initiative prior to U.S. Conference of Mayors in D.C." Bham Now
- Freeman, Emanuel (October 13, 2020) "TSU students get ‘Dream Space’; virtual ribbon-cutting highlights university, industry commitment to excellence." TSU News Service
- Bryant, Joseph D. (June 28, 2024) "Miles College launches HBCU business incubator collaborative." AL.com