Marcos Devers
Encyclopedia
Marcos A. Devers is a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
, and a former acting mayor of Lawrence, Massachusetts
. When Devers served as acting mayor from September to November 2001 he was the first Dominican-American to execute the role of mayor in the United States and the first Latino mayor in Massachusetts.
. He graduated from secondary school and received a bachelors degree in civil engineering from the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo
in 1978. Marcos also received additional education and training in Japan and Italy
in remote sensing during the 1980s. He was a math instructor at Santurce Community College, Santurce, Puerto Rico from 1984 to 1986. He later went on to write technical papers for infrastructure development in the Dominican Republic.
In 1982 Marcos left the Dominican Republic and moved to Puerto Rico
, where three of his four children were born. In 1987, he moved to Lawrence, Massachusetts. Marcos attended Salem State College
and the University of Massachusetts Lowell
to complete the academic requirements to become a certified educator in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Marcos taught high school level mathematics at both Lawrence High School and the Greater Lawrence Technical High School for sixteen years. He is also the founder and C.E.O. of MDJ Incorporated Engineering & Construction, a civil engineering firm.
Marcos and his wife, Vicky, have been married since 1986, and they are the parents of four children – Sally, Eva, Marcos Jr., and Lunara. They reside in Lawrence’s Prospect Hill neighborhood.
He then ran for mayor in 2005 losing to incumbent Michael J. Sullivan
and ran again for the 2009 Mayoral election and came in third. Devers also ran for state representative
in 2006 and 2008 against former state representative
now Lawrence Mayor William Lantigua
. The 2006 campaign was a write-in campaign because Lantigua was able to have Devers knocked-off of the ballot.
for the Massachusetts House of Representatives
16th Essex District. Lantigua endorsed Devers for the North Lawrence Representative seat after Devers endorsed Lantigua for Mayor, after Devers came in third behind Lantigua and former city councilor David Abdoo in the 2009 municipal primary.
On June 15, 2010 Devers was elected by a majority of 1,198 votes to the Massachusetts House of Representatives
over independent candidate Rafael Gadea. Devers received 1,369 votes, challenger Rafael Gadea received 171 votes. Devers was the elected to a full term in Nov. 2010 over Republican Enrique Matos and Independent Rafael Gadea with 4,495 votes and more than 75% of the vote.
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
, and a former acting mayor of Lawrence, Massachusetts
Lawrence, Massachusetts
Lawrence is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States on the Merrimack River. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a total population of 76,377. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and North Andover to the southeast. It and Salem are...
. When Devers served as acting mayor from September to November 2001 he was the first Dominican-American to execute the role of mayor in the United States and the first Latino mayor in Massachusetts.
Early life and career
Marcos Devers attended grammar school in Villa Duarte, a barrio in the eastern part of Santo DomingoSanto Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
. He graduated from secondary school and received a bachelors degree in civil engineering from the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo
Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo
The Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo is the public university system in the Dominican Republic with its main campus in Santo Domingo and regional centers across the Republic...
in 1978. Marcos also received additional education and training in Japan and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in remote sensing during the 1980s. He was a math instructor at Santurce Community College, Santurce, Puerto Rico from 1984 to 1986. He later went on to write technical papers for infrastructure development in the Dominican Republic.
In 1982 Marcos left the Dominican Republic and moved to Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, where three of his four children were born. In 1987, he moved to Lawrence, Massachusetts. Marcos attended Salem State College
Salem State College
Salem State University is a four-year public institution of higher learning located in Salem, Massachusetts. Salem State University, established in 1854 as Salem Normal School, is located approximately fifteen miles north of Boston, Massachusetts. Salem State enrolls over 10,000 undergraduate and...
and the University of Massachusetts Lowell
University of Massachusetts Lowell
The University of Massachusetts Lowell is a public university in Lowell, Massachusetts, and part of the University of Massachusetts system...
to complete the academic requirements to become a certified educator in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Marcos taught high school level mathematics at both Lawrence High School and the Greater Lawrence Technical High School for sixteen years. He is also the founder and C.E.O. of MDJ Incorporated Engineering & Construction, a civil engineering firm.
Marcos and his wife, Vicky, have been married since 1986, and they are the parents of four children – Sally, Eva, Marcos Jr., and Lunara. They reside in Lawrence’s Prospect Hill neighborhood.
Political career
In 1991 Devers decided to run for an at-large seat on the Lawrence City Council. Marcos was finally elected to the City Council in November 1999 on his fifth attempt. He was then re-elected to his seat in 2001 and 2003. As a City Councilor, Marcos has held the positions of Council Vice President (2000–2002), Council President (2002–2004), and Interim Mayor upon the resignation of Mayor Dowling in September 2001 til November 2001. When Marcos was elected the Interim Mayor, he became the first Latino mayor in Massachusetts and the first mayor of Dominican descent in the United States.He then ran for mayor in 2005 losing to incumbent Michael J. Sullivan
Michael J. Sullivan (mayor)
Michael J. Sullivan was the mayor of the City of Lawrence, Massachusetts. A Republican, Sullivan became the mayor in 2001 after beating Isabel Melendez...
and ran again for the 2009 Mayoral election and came in third. Devers also ran for state representative
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
in 2006 and 2008 against former state representative
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
now Lawrence Mayor William Lantigua
William Lantigua
William Lantigua is a Dominican American politician in Massachusetts. He became Mayor of Lawrence, Massachusetts in January 2010 following his November 2009 defeat of Lawrence City Councilor David Abdoo...
. The 2006 campaign was a write-in campaign because Lantigua was able to have Devers knocked-off of the ballot.
Massachusetts House of Representatives
In the 2010 special election to succeed William LantiguaWilliam Lantigua
William Lantigua is a Dominican American politician in Massachusetts. He became Mayor of Lawrence, Massachusetts in January 2010 following his November 2009 defeat of Lawrence City Councilor David Abdoo...
for the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
16th Essex District. Lantigua endorsed Devers for the North Lawrence Representative seat after Devers endorsed Lantigua for Mayor, after Devers came in third behind Lantigua and former city councilor David Abdoo in the 2009 municipal primary.
On June 15, 2010 Devers was elected by a majority of 1,198 votes to the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
over independent candidate Rafael Gadea. Devers received 1,369 votes, challenger Rafael Gadea received 171 votes. Devers was the elected to a full term in Nov. 2010 over Republican Enrique Matos and Independent Rafael Gadea with 4,495 votes and more than 75% of the vote.