Mayor Gary Carey, Jr.

Welcome to my profile page. I’ve been serving the City of Walker as Mayor since January of 2019. Prior to this, I 
represeMayor Careynted the 2nd Ward as a City Commissioner and was also Mayor Pro-Tem.

My wife Cori and I married in 1990, and live at 2068 Deerfield NW. We have three adult children: Alex, Brenden, and Caitlin. Alex and Caitlin are both police officers for departments in Kent County, while Brenden is a dentist practicing in Walker. Our daughter-in-law Emily is a school social worker, and our other daughter-in-law Shannon is a corporate marketing specialist for a local business. We are blessed to have two grandchildren Zoey and Vincent. And, I cannot forget our silver lab Piper, a frequent visitor to City Hall. My wife and I are also members of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church.

In my 30+ business career, I have held sales and leadership roles for large, privately held, and Fortune 500 companies. Currently, I serve as the National Sales Director for NEOGOV, leading our State and Local Government Sales Team.

I have a passion for developing young leaders and that is why I also served as a high school football coach for both West Catholic and Kenowa Hills. I have also served in numerous roles with the Kenowa Hills School District, including Education Foundation President and Trustee, and multiple Facilities and Bond Committees.

I have an associate degree from Grand Rapids Community College and a Bachelor of Science with an emphasis in Leadership from Grand Valley State University.

In addition to being Mayor, I represent the Walker community in the following committee and board roles: 

  • Finance Committee - Chairperson
  • Personnel Committee - Chairperson
  • Emergency Planning Committee
  • Downtown Development Authority
  • Grand Valley Metro Council – Board Member and Executive Committee
  • Interurban Transit Partnership (The RAPID) – Board Member & Chairperson
  • St. Anthony's Catholic School - Board of Directors

I can be reached on my cell phone at (616) 292-1715. You can also connect with me via Social Media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.