CRAFTING A PIECE OF HISTORY

Tiffany Craft ’10 remembers what it felt like when she first came to then Pikeville College: eye-opening. Fascinated by the diverse opinions found on campus, she was eager for college to pave the way to her ambitions, unaware that the road would lead her to become the first woman in history to serve as mayor in the progressive town of Whitesburg, Ky.

Raised in the pristine hills of Appalachia, in a small town about 35 miles south of Pikeville, Craft aspired from a young age to fulfill her dreams in Eastern Kentucky and make a difference for her community, leading her directly to the university.

“My family made frequent trips to Pikeville. The appeal of attending Pikeville College and staying close to home was one I couldn’t pass up. The environment is inviting and incredibly supportive,” said Craft. “I light up when I think about my time in college. UPIKE is a place where there is so much freedom to explore new ideas and friendships.”

Upon graduating with a B.S. in communication, she married fellow alum James Wiley Craft ’67. They were married for 10 years and blessed with a daughter, Sammi Lauren Craft. James was a prominent attorney serving Kentucky for more than 50 years and the well-respected mayor for Whitesburg from 2007 until his death in June.

One of James’ many efforts serving as mayor was to restore some of the historic buildings in downtown Whitesburg. In August 2019, Reader’s Digest named Whitesburg one of the “25 Most Stunning Mountain Towns in America” on a list that included such well-known travel destinations as Aspen, Colo., Sun Valley, Idaho and Asheville, N.C. He boosted tourism through special events and beautification projects and shepherded the legalization of alcoholic beverages in Whitesburg.

The passing of James left the seat of mayor open. The decision of who would fill the vacancy fell to the Whitesburg City Council who, in July 2021, voted unanimously to have Craft serve out the rest of his term, making her the first female mayor in Whitesburg’s history.

“Not only was it a great honor to take over for my husband, but it made it even sweeter knowing that I was making history in one of the greatest little cities, not only in Kentucky, but in my opinion, the United States,” said Craft. “During all of the moments that I spent daydreaming as a child or planning what goals I would aspire to achieve never, not once, did becoming a mayor ever occupy a second of those thoughts.”

Whitesburg City Councilman Larry Everidge supports Craft and believes she has exceeded his expectations serving as mayor.

“Tiffany has taken over several projects that James had begun, in addition to beginning some of her own. She negotiated for the city to acquire a new side-byside that can be used to reach people needing help that are not accessible by fire truck,” said Everidge. “She has made herself available to all the people in the city and her door is always open. She has a kind heart and we all love her. She makes our city proud.”

Dean of the Coleman College of Business Howard Roberts, Ed.D., remembers Craft as being a driven, insightful and hardworking student.

“Tiffany will serve the City of Whitesburg with integrity and a spirit of collaboration. She understands the needs and values of the community and she is a compassionate, intuitive leader,” said Roberts. “Furthermore, she is insightful and in her tenure as mayor, she will accomplish great and innovative things.”

Craft’s love for UPIKE and the connections she has made have fueled her passion for her community.

“The little girl who at one time dreamed of becoming a doctor, then changed her mind and wanted to become a teacher, then changed her mind again to become an architect grew up and became a wife, mother and mayor,” said Craft. “God will always send us in the right direction doing exactly what we are meant to do. He has a plan for us. We may not end up anywhere near where we thought we would, and I am living proof of that.”

Craft and her late husband, James, attended UPIKE's alumni event at The Greenbrier in 2019.

One special alumni event that stands out to me is The Greenbrier event in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.,” said Craft. “This was our first trip with the alumni association and from that point forward, we enjoyed reminiscing about it because it allowed him to reconnect with several of his classmates that he hadn’t seen in many years. He enjoyed his time as a Bear just as much as I did.