Biography for Mayor Jack Blalock

The son of Dick and Barbara Blalock, Jack was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where he also spent his upbringing with his sister Janie and brother Jim. Graduating from Portsmouth High School in 1970, Jack went on to Rollins College to earn a Bachelor of Arts in both Political Science and History. Jack's father, Dick Blalock, was the Editor of the Portsmouth Herald for about 20 years and later served two terms as a Portsmouth City Councilor, highly influencing Jack's strong historical and institutional knowledge of Portsmouth and passion for public service. His close bond with his parents and siblings has continuously been his inspiration in creating a similar sense of unity within the Portsmouth community.

After his education at Rollins, Jack returned to Portsmouth to help his parents establish their family business, The Old Ferry Landing on the waterfront, which he has been operating for the last 40 years. Meanwhile, alongside wife Pamela Newcomb Blalock, Jack raised his children Richard and Jaclyn in the City, coaching numerous youth athletic teams and volunteering in many Portsmouth School activities.

While owning and operating his business, Jack has been engaged in community service in numerous ways. One of his key focuses has been land-use policy, serving on the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) for 15 years, the last eight years as Chairman. In 2007, Jack served one term as Assistant Mayor on the City Council as well as a member of the Economic Development Commission. Prior to his nominations as Mayor in both 2015 and 2017, Jack served as the Director for the Portsmouth Housing Authority Development, Ltd., an affiliate of the Portsmouth Housing Authority (PHA) which develops new and expanded housing for low- and moderate-income residents of our community.

Mayor Blalock aims to continue sound fiscal management, ensure smart development that supports a diverse economy while protecting our neighborhoods, preserve the City's distinct environment, balance growth with benefits for future generations, and manage efficient and respectful meetings to enable a positive impact to the Portsmouth community.