Business Leader Wes Moore Could Run In 2016 Baltimore Mayoral Race

Businessman, best-selling author, army veteran, and philanthropist Wes Moore was on the main-stage this summer discussing how entrepreneurs can solve the education crisis, at Black Enterprise’s 2015 Entrepreneurs Summit. Â Now it looks like the social entrepreneur is hoping to help solve Baltimore’s problems as the city’s mayor.

The 2016 mayoral race in Baltimore, was at first shaping to be a contest between Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and her predecessor, Sheila Dixon. However, four more possible contenders have come forward, according to local news reports.

Moore has long been talked about as a potential mayoral candidate, reports the online news site Baltimore Fish Bowl. He has publicly said he was humbled, but focused on his other ventures. But recently, he has been preparing for a campaign, two sources told Baltimore Fish Bowl. Before returning to his native Baltimore, the 37-year-old Moore led a team of U.S. Army paratroopers in Afghanistan, served as a White House fellow, and worked at Citigroup. You can read more in a recent Big Fish Q&A.

After appearances on Oprah, Meet the Press, Real Time with Bill Maher, The Colbert Report, and The Daily Show, Moore is the current host of Beyond Belief. Airing on Oprah’s OWN Network, the show spotlights mysteries and miracles of everyday people from around the globe. Moore’s New York Times best-selling book, The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates, chronicles a real-life miracle from his own world. Sharing conversations with an imprisoned man; also named Wes Moore, the book tells the story of two strangers with similar backgrounds from the same Baltimore, neighborhood.

Moore is also the founder and CEO of BridgeEdU, a first-year college program that combines core academic courses, real-world internships, and service experiences. BridgeEdU provides its students an opportunity to earn 20+ transferable college credits through a curriculum that prepares students for their degree.