The Gastonia City Council voted at its meeting on Tuesday, January 7th to appoint Cheryl Littlejohn to fill the Ward IV Council seat vacated by former Councilman Charles Odom, who stepped down December 31, 2024. The City Council approved the process to fill the vacancy at its November 19th meeting, using the same process used to fill the Ward I seat vacancy.
The position was advertised in November and the City received eight applications. Five candidates were selected to participate in an interview process that included the Mayor and City Council. Ward IV covers the Northern part of the city, which includes Bessemer City Road, most of Downtown Gastonia north of Franklin Boulevard, the FUSE District, and the Highland District. See a map of city council wards.
“The Council had a difficult decision to make because we had several good candidates, but in the end, Cheryl was the best choice,” said Mayor Richard Franks. “She’s a Gastonia native who runs two successful businesses. Her dedication to and love for our great city will allow her to serve our residents well.”
Littlejohn graduated from Hunter Huss High School, received her bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. There she played basketball for the legendary coach, Pat Summitt and was on the first national championship team. She also graduated from the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.
Professionally, Littlejohn served as Assistant Coach at NC State University and the University of Alabama, as well as head coach for the University of Minnesota and Chicago State University. After serving as a basketball coach, she served as the Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Gastonia.
Among her many achievements, Cheryl was named to the 2017 Gaston County Sports Hall of Fame; the Epsilon Upsilon Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Citizen of the Year in 2022; she was also featured on the front cover of the 2022 Jan/Feb issue of Gaston Lifestyles magazine. She is the recipient of Socialite Charlotte’s 2024 Queen Charlotte’s Humanitarian ‘Hope’ Award. Cheryl is a life coach, mentor, philanthropist, and the proprietor of Smith’s Soul Food Bistro, Legacy Event Center, and Executive Coaching Enterprises.
“It is a profound honor to be appointed to serve the citizens of Gastonia, specifically Ward IV,” said Littlejohn. “Growing up here laid the foundation of who I am, and now, coming full circle, I am deeply committed to continue my philanthropic services. With my roots firmly grounded in this great city, I’m ready to lead, serve, and create a transformative impact for generations to come. Together, we will build a brighter future for Gastonia!”