Portland is a little over a month away from a major political reset. A whole new form of government will debut in January, with an expanded 12-member council, a city administrator redefined role for the city's mayor. The first person to take on the updated top job is Mayor-elect Keith Wilson, who was a guest on this week's episode of Straight Talk.
Wilson's victory in the Nov. 5 election marks the first time since Mayor Bud Clark in 1984 that Portland voters have chosen a mayoral candidate with only a business background and no political experience. During his campaign — initially seen as a longshot bid — Wilson cast his outsider status as an asset, saying it would allow him to bring a fresh perspective.
Wilson grew up in North Portland and attended Oregon State, then got his master's degree in business administration from the University of Portland. He's the CEO of Portland-based Titan Freight Systems, which he touts as the state's only trucking company so far to have completely ditched fossil fuels.
