Born in Mobile, Alabama. Stimpson is a 1970 graduate of University Military School, now known as UMS-Wright. He received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Alabama in 1975, where he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon and Theta TauProfessional Engineering Fraternity. In 2017, Stimpson was found to be a paying member of the Comic Cowboys Mardi Gras group, an all-white group which parades with posters including derogatory remarks toward black leaders and communities in the Mobile area. Stimpson later resigned from the group after his membership was publicly revealed. Stimpson is married to the former Jean Miller of Brewton, Alabama. They have four grown children, nine grandchildren and reside in Mobile, Alabama.
Career
Upon graduating from the University of Alabama, Stimpson began a 37-year career with Gulf Lumber Company, his father's company, and its successor, Scotch & Gulf Lumber. He was Chief Financial Officer prior to leaving the company to run for office in 2012.
Stimpson ran on a platform focused on public safety and economic development. Current data place crime decreased 46% FROM 2017 to 2018. Mobile ranked 3rd in the country in fDi Magazine's In 2017, Mobile ranked number 3 in the country in fDi Magazine's Top American Cities of the Future for FDI Strategy in the small cities category. In 2017, Stimpson was selected by the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative to an event seeking to connect prominent city leaders for discussions relating to the best city government practices. In December 2018, Stimpson, along with other city officials, were criticized for spending $108,000 on three Christmas trees. The city's special events budget states that any purchase costing more than $7,500 constitutes notification of the council. The city purchased three trees totaling $108,000. According to city officials, the trees have a 10- to 12-year life span so they are a long term investment not falling under the special events budget. In December 2018, Stimpson filed a lawsuit against the Mobile City Council alleging violations of the Zoghby Act. The council claimed that the mayor had spent millions of dollars on PR consultants and staffers, fearing Stimpson was using the city treasury as an extension of his own personal image campaign. The council lowered the mayor's PR budget to a single PR employee, consistent with previous mayoral budgets, and hired former mayoral spokesperson Marion Steinfels as their own consultant. The mayor fired Steinfels in retaliation, and the council rehired her. Stimpson subsequently filed a lawsuit against the council. After review, the court sided with the council and denied Stimpson's petition.
COVID-19
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor Sandy Stimpson has released statements on the impacts pertaining to Mobile as a city.
