PERSON: Tom Barrow

Self-employed

Accountant

The 60-year-old accountant and entrepreneur earned a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Business Administration degree from Wayne State University. He became a certified public accountant in 1973. After working for Arthur Andersen & Co. for six years, he co-started his own accounting firm in the city. Through the years, Detroit Mayoral Candidate Tom Barrow has served on the boards of several accountancy and community organizations. Since joining as an undergraduate, he is a member of Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity, the nation’s oldest and largest professional business fraternity.

Barrow was born and raised in Detroit, where he attended the Detroit public schools for kindergarten and Annunciation Catholic School through graduation. He attended college, worked and co-started Barrow & Aldridge, the largest black-owned accounting firm in the Midwest and the biggest minority-owned accounting firm in the city. At one time, his firm's clients included the City of Detroit and, ironically, Bing Steel. He was also the chairman/CEO of New Center Hospital, currently the last remaining locally-owned health care facility which now specializes in substance abuse and drug rehabilitation. He has owned several other local businesses including computerized billing and accounting for law firms, private boat maintenance, and consumer tax preparation. He currently resides in the downtown area of the city where he and his wife are raising two children.

Barrow ran against Coleman A. Young for mayor in 1985 and 1989, garnering 39% and 44% respectively. In 2009, he ran against Acting Mayor Dave Bing where Barrow earned 44%. A subsequent recount declared that almost 60,000 votes, including ALL of the absentee votes, were not able to be recounted due to breached seals on ballot boxes. The results were certified without these votes being counted. Since 1988, he has been involved with Citizens For Detroit’s Future, a civic organization involved in political advocacy.

-- barrowformayor.com