Randy Wright was born in Norfolk, Virginia in August of 1946. After graduating from Norfolk Public Schools in 1964, Wright began working as an apprentice printer. It was not until the mid-1970’s that Wright had begun voicing his political opinion when he started attending Roosevelt Area Civic League meetings. When Wright was asked by Civic League Officer Joanne Wall to be the civic league president, his political career had officially started. During the next ten years, Wright formed a group called the Norfolk Tea Party, and started his own printing business that is still operating to this day, Randy Wright Printing Co. As a first time runner for city council in 1986, Wright lost by fewer than 500 votes. Just two years later, he began serving on the State Board of Commerce until 1996, acting as its chair from 1990-1992. In 1992 he was elected a member of the Norfolk City Council representing Ward 5.  Wright has also served, or is still serving, in the Economic and Community Business Development Committee, the Transportation Committee of the Council, the Downtown Development Task Force, the Mayor’s Ocean View Task Force, the East Little Creek Road Partnership, the Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads, and a number of public transportation committees including chairing the Hampton Roads Transit’s New Starts Committee. Wright is also largely responsible for bringing The Tide light rail system to Hampton Roads.

Note written by Mel Frizzell