Index 5 – U.S. Fast-Food Leaders and U.S. Mayors
Index 5 – U.S. Fast-Food Leaders and U.S. Mayors
Leaders of prominent US-based fast-food chains ITTL (c. 1960-present (2021))
The most prominent fast-food franchises in North America in this TL, by category, in order of popularity (and are considered (by some people, at the very least) to be national chains, not regional chains):
BARBECUE:
1: Dickey’s
2: Smokey Mountain BBQ Steakhouse
3: Ponderosa Steakhouse
4: Sonny's BBQ
5: 4 Rivers Smokehouse
6: Chili's
7: Bill Miller BBQ
8: Good Company
9: Dinosaur BBQ
10: Cooper's Old Time BBQ Pit
11: Famous Dave's
12: Rudy's Ribs
13: Bodacious Bar-B-Q
14: Soulman's Bar-B-Que
15: Mission BBQ
16: Woody's
17: Corky's
18: Pete's BBQ Pit
19: Smokey Bones
20: Steak-&-Ale (also known as The Jolly Ox in some areas) - considered a "barbeque" chain on a technicality, as it is best known for being a steakhouse, but could also qualify as a "sandwich" chain as well
BURGERS:
1: McDonald’s
2: Wendy’s/Wendyburger
3: White Castle
4: Whataburger
5: Culver’s
6: Burger Chef
7: Burger King
8: Burger Czar
9: Red Barn - it has recently experienced a resurgance in popularity among urban and suburban customers who find the rural theme a delightful contrast to where they live and work
10: Smashburgers - has a large and loud number of young fans ontech
11: Jack-in-the-box (often considered and labeled as a sandwich chain due to the diversity of their menu options)
12: Ollie’s Trollies
13: Freddy's Steakburgers and Frozen Custard
14: Fuddruckers
15: Farmer Boy Burgers
16: Burger's Fries and Burgers
17: Riverside Burgers and Fries
18: Albany Hams
19: Burger Hut Thursday's - a shadow of its former self, as it used to hover around #10 less than 10 years ago
CHICKEN:
1: Kentucky Fried Chicken
2: Popeyes
3: Chick-fil-A
4: Kenny Rogers Roasters
5: Boston Chicken
6: Cluckers
7: Zaxby's
8: Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers
9: Wingstop
10: El Pollo Loco
11: Bojangles'
12: Boston Market
13: Golden Chicken
14: The Chicken Salad Shack
15: Jollibee
HOT DOGS:
1: Lum’s
2: The Bear’s Hotdogs
3: Sonic Drive-In
4: Nathan's Famous
5: Wienerschnitzel
6: Dog Haus
7: Coney I-Lander (technically a region chain centered in Oklahoma and most of its neighboring states, but counts as national chain and international chain due to two outlets in Maine and three in Nova Scotia, plus current plans to greatly expand in the 2020s)
8: Mel's
9: Tomorrowdogs
10: Yocco's Hotdogs
11: Ted's Top Dogs
MEXICAN:
1: Zantigo
2: Chi-Chi’s
3: Salsa’s Fresh Mex Bar & Grill
4: TacoTime
5: Del Taco
6: Moe's Southwest Grill
7: Taco John's
8: Chuy's
9: Taco Olé
10: Tortilla Time (previously known as Tortilla Tuesdays, though some outlets still use that name)
PIZZA:
1: Pizza Hut
2: Little Caesar’s
3: Boston’s
4: Domino’s
5: Figaro’s
6: Pizza Corner
7: Eatza Pizza
8: Sbarro
9: Marco's Pizza
10: Toppings Galore
11: Italian Classic
12: Gerlanda's
13: Amore Pizza Pies
14: Pizza Haven
15: Pizza Shack
16: Papa Murphy's
17: Topper's Pizza
SANDWICHES:
1: Arby’s
2: Dr. Sub’s
3: Homer's Heroes
4: Panera Bread
5: Jimmy John's
6: Jersey Mike's
7: Firehouse Subs
8: Deli Casey's Delicassies
9: Jason's
10: McAlister's Deli
11: Crazy Camilla's Classic Calzones
12: Dusty's
13: Supersubs
14: World's Best Sandwiches
15: American Classics
16: Izzy's (borders on being considered a "regional" chain)
SEAFOOD:
1: SpongeBob’s Undersea Cuisine
2: Red Lobster
3: Boston Sea Party
4: Captain D’s
5: Wong’s Water Grill
6: Bonefish Grill
7: Pappadeux
8: Joe's Crab Shack
9: Papadopolous
10: H. Salt, Esq. Authentic English Fish and Chips
11: Ocean's Best
12: Eddie V's Prime Seafood
A breakdown of the leaders of the Core Members of the “KFC Corporate Family”:
(parent company) FINGER-LICKIN’ GOOD, INC. CEOs (founded in 1965):
1964-1981: 1) Mildred “Millie” Sanders-Ruggles – the youngest daughter of Colonel Sanders; oversaw company's national and then global expansion efforts; upheld sanitation standards by visiting outlets randomly for surprise inspections like her father did; retired to reportedly keep company leadership "fresh," but stayed on the Board of Directors as "Chair Emeritus" until her death
1981-1990: 2) Lee Cummings – a nephew of Colonel Sanders; developed menu specials during his time as manager of several outlets; continued predecessor's policies to maintain investor/stockholder confidence; expanded parent company ownership of several small, regional chains of various types, ranging from sports bars to candy stores; retired to reportedly hand the company over to the "next generation of KFC leaders" in an internal shakeup that saw "young blood" be brought in to reportedly "modernize" the company's marketing and networking aspects
1990-2001: 3) James A. Collins – after some initial missteps, successfully lead the company through the tumultuous "post-Colonel" years and greenlit further expansion into Asia; oversaw company efforts to harness the potential of the technet, with an official website being launched in late 1995; retired due to exhaustion
2001-2003: 4) Herman Cain – former CEO of Burger Chef, former CEO of the Nation Restaurant Association, and former Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City; the Board of Directors brought him in from outside the company in the hope of him utilizing his success at other business ventures to turn around the company's North American sales results, after years of declining profits; left the company (after failing to improve profit margins with cutbacks and furloughs) in order to successfully run for an open US Senate seat
2003-2012: 5) Mary Lolita Starnes Hannon – improved domestic sales with multiple investments into numerous aspects of the company, including customer service, improving sanitation, and advertising with technet-based "fervid" marketing and networking campaigns (opening up a seasonally-functioning KFC outlet in Antarctica in 2007 was a part of these campaigns); in a somewhat controversial move, improved company transparency with media outlets, but did so to garner positive press coverage; retired due to her advanced age
2012-2017: 6) Adrien McNaughton – was the head of KFC R&D; continued most of the policies of his predecessor; stepped down over growing intra-department management difficulties, deciding he was more useful back at R&D
2017-2018: 7) William Kirk Hannon – the son of Mary Hannon; selection was allegedly the result of nepotism despite his years managing KFC's Southern US divisions; retired due to sudden health issues from which he is still recovering
2018-present: 8) David C. Novak – selected after spending several years improving KFC's ontech outlet ratings; is promoting an "Americanized version" of Japan's "lean production" method by improving communication channels between workers and management; currently overseeing expansion of menu options for nearly all franchises and enhancing customer interactions ontech
(chicken) KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN Head Executives (founded in 1950):
1950-1955: Col. Harland D. Sanders, Sr. – company founder; massively expanded the company at the state level, with Pete Harman as Head Assistant COO from 1951 until Harman’s retirement in 1995, established strict regulations for sanitation and food preparation for optimal results; did not allow tips due to him paying workers "a living wage" and enforced policy franchising chain to racially integrated locations; took a leave of absence after being drafted into running for Governor of Kentucky, and stepped down after he won
1955-1959: Harland D. “Harley” Sanders, Jr. – continued predecessor's business policies; decreased job activities after taking government job in 1958, relegating some responsibilities to Second Assistant COO Mildred Sanders, the alleged power behind “the sibling throne”; retired in order to let company founder resume leadership duties
1959-1964: Harland D. Sanders, Sr. – greatly expanded company at the national (and then international) level, making both KFC and himself household names; opposed rival fast-food chain McDonald’s over personal dislike of its CEO and due to some of the company's policies; took a leave of absence after being drafted into running for President of the United States, and stepped down after he won
1964-1994: Mildred “Millie” Sanders-Ruggles – took over due to her success at handling franchise intra-communication, addressing sexism in the workplace, overseeing collective bargaining agreements, and managing other company responsibilities during her tenure as chief vice-CEO from 1955 to 1964; expanded menu items in later half of 1960s, and again in the 1980s and early 1990s; also oversaw the formation of a “truce” between KFC and McDonald’s that lasted from 1967 to 1973; approved of the creation of a "Cartoon Colonel" (voiced by Randy Quaid) for the company's commercials and advertising in the early 1990s; stepped down after 30 years to enjoy retirement
1994-1999: Harold Omer – previously oversaw the successful launching of “Lee’s Famous Recipe” menu offering in select outlets (with the help of Lee Cummings, who was a regional manager at that time); was an in-law of Colonel Sanders; oversaw efforts to improve stockholder confidence amid stagnant sales for much of the decade; died in office unexpectedly
1999-2000: Charles Yohe – was a close ally of Harold Omer; continued predecessor's efforts to reverse decreases in domestic sales; died in office unexpectedly
2000-2018: David C. Novak – considered to be “young blood” for the position, beginning his tenure at the age of 48; praised for his quick response to implementing safezoning measures at the start of the 2002 Global Pandemic; aided company in recovering from previous losses in the late 2000s by working with parent company leadership to increase advertising expanses, allowing him to continue to uphold the company founder's strict sanitation standards and food preparation procedures despite pushback from company's financial experts who promoted changing recipes to cut down on costs and save time; phased out the "Cartoon Colonel" ads by the end of the 2000s decade as marketing shifted to more ontech-based ideas; co-led efforts to expand KFC into several African countries; stepped down after being selected to head KFC's parent company
2018-present: Roger Eaton – previously worked under Novak; currently continuing predecessor's policies, but is also overseeing efforts to appeal to young consumers, such as by promoting the menu's healthiest items in ads
(barbeque) SMOKEY MOUNTAIN BBQ STEAKHOUSE Head Executives (founded in 1964):
1964-1967: John Y. Brown Jr. – increased number of outlets 200% in 1964, but only 75% and 70% in 1965 and 1966, which were reportedly slower than had been expected for those two fiscal years; fired for underhanded tactics
1967-1990: Floyd “Sonny” Tillman – actively worked to promote business transparency, as symbolized by his all-glass office; personally created the chain’s “Sonny’s Special” menu item; stepped down after 23 years in order to enjoy his retirement years
1990-2005: Bob Yarmuth – company loyalist; privately considered the controversial "Cartoon Colonel" ads to be "a disgraceful insult" to the memory of the recently-departed Colonel Sanders; retired after failing to improve sales in the post-SARS economy
2005-2015: David Yohe – son of former KFC CEO Charles Yohe; had been working in numerous positions in the chain since its inception in the 1960s; launched a massive marketing campaign that allowed company to rebuild prominence by the early 2010s; retired due to exhaustion, then pursued other business ventures
2015-present: Jan Fields – former McDonald’s executive; as an outsider, had to earn FLG leadership's trust by improving sales for FY2016 by 200% without firing or furloughing a single employee or cutting any salaries (she managed to improve sales by 210% by giving herself a pay cut and shifting advertising expenses to producing cheaper, more direct ads for technet devices; currently working with the parent company to coordinate marketing strategies against their main competitors
(burgers) WENDY’S Head Executives (founded in 1968):
1968-2002: Dave Thomas – founded the chain and named it after his daughter; changed the original name of "Wendyburger" to "Wendy's" during the 1980s, but the original name continued to be used by some outlets as late as 2010 and continues to be used by many customers old enough to remember its original title; best known for appearing in commercials in a humble manner in sharp contrast to the boisterous Colonel Sanders that he once worked under; died in office at the age of 69, after being afflicted with a carcinoid neuroendocrine tumor for roughly ten years but that then suddenly metastasized to his liver
2002-2019: Joe Ledington – a nephew of Colonel Sanders; former regional manager for KFC-Appalachia; got into trouble with the parent company for divulging private company information during interviews in the early-to-mid 2010s; retired after 17 years of maintaining post-SARS growth in order to enjoy his retirement years
2019-present: Vipul Chawla – former head of the company's R&D department; currently overseeing technet advertising expansion efforts
(seafood) HADDON SALT, ESQ.’S AUTHENTIC FISH & CHIPS Head Executives (founded in 1965 and purchased by FLG Inc. in 1969):
1965-present: Haddon Salt – chain founder; still going strong after being in charge of the company for over 55 years by adapting to changing market trends without resorting to mimicking rising rivals (for instance, rejecting a proposal to make aminated-live action hybrid commercials to compete against those of SpongeBob's Undersea Cuisine); currently roughly 80 years old, he recently commented that he plans to stay on as the head of the chain for as long as possible
And, finally, a breakdown of some other prominent fast-food chains that have made appearances in this TL:
(hotdogs) THE BEAR’S HOTDOGS Head Executives (founded in 1971):
1971-present: Bear McSavory – founded in New Jersey as a single roadside stand by a proud but camera-shy man who publicly goes by a pseudonym to protect his privacy
(burgers) BURGER CHEF Head Executives (founded in 1957):
1957-1971: Frank and Donald Thomas – co-founders; not related to Wendyburger (later renamed Wendy’s) founder Dave Thomas
1971-1986: Jack Laughery – accepted the position over becoming CEO of Hardee’s, a small and struggling state-wide burger chain in North Carolina that folded in 1987; merged Burger Chef company with the smaller burger chain Sandy’s in 1972 but retained the name Burger Chef; decided to simplify the menu offerings in order to increase the prificiency and speed of the kitchen staff; led redesigning of outlets' interior space to create a more welcoming feel and better utilize the color red; stepped down after 15 years of growth to pursue other projects and interests
1986-1994: John L. N. Bitove – former CEO of the Canadian Big Boy and Roy Rogers chains; ran the company alongside his many Canadian businesses, focusing on workplace efficiency; in 1991, directed more funds into ingredients than into advertising in an effort to promote the chain by word of mouth - an effort that yielded only lukewarm results, but was later praised for being forward-thinking and ahead of its time; stepped down to better focus on the Yellow Knight Diner chain in Canada, which was making more money at the time of his departure
1994-2005: Michael Scott “Mike” Rawlings – lead the company through dire economic straits during the SARS pandemic; later served as the Mayor of Austin, Texas (2009-2014) and unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Texas in 2018; he recently announced that he is running for a US House seat in 2022
2005-2011: John I. Bitove – Canadian businessman involved in a plethora of other businesses and industries, and the son of a previous CEO; he shifted the company’s focus to selling primarily burgers to simplify marketing strategies and cut down on the diversity of ingredients being purchased and stored; he stepped down to better focus on the companies he founded in Canada in a repeat of his father's departure from the company, leading to rumor claiming that in response to "insulting" departures of both Canadian CEOs, Burger King's Board of Directors signed a document in which they agreed to never hire a CEO from Canada ever again
2011-2015: Cara Carlton Sneed – the daughter of a US Supreme Court Justice; COO of AT&T from 1991 to 1997, the US Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) under US President Larry Miles Dinger from 1997 to 2001, and CEO of PepsiCo from 2003 to 2007; unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination for a US Senate seat from Texas in 2008; became cancer survivor in 2010 and a nearly-two-years-long battle; orchestrated mass layoffs in response to the 2013 recession; greenlit research into automating as much as 40% of the company's job positions in 2014; dismissed by the BoD amid an overall poor handling of the company and lukewarm improvement of profit margins; later joined a group of political think tanks in Potomac
2015-2019: Steve Easterbrook – began his career as a British accountant and worked his way up through the company from there starting in 2007; oversaw the improvement of the company's rocky financial situation; dismissed by the Board of Director over an “inappropriate incident” with a company employee; currently runs his own accounting firm
2019-present: Chris Kempczinski – previously worked for Procter & Gamble; participates in marathons to promote the company and healthy eating
(artisanal burgers) BURGER CZAR Head Executives (founded in 1997):
1997-present: Marc Benioff – founded the company, but “borrowed” its name, and its tagline (“Burger Czar, Where The Burgers Are”) from a 1970s episode of “Welcome Back, Kotter”
(burgers) BURGER KING head executives (founded in 1953):
1953-1959: Keith J. Kramer and Matthew Burns – co-founders of Insta-Burger King in Florida
1959-1976: James McLamore and David R. Edgerton – co-purchased Insta-Burger King when it faltered and renamed it
1976-1978: Donald N. Smith and David R. Edgerton – standardized outlet designs and menu offerings before Edgerton retired to pursue other projects
1978-1979: Donald N. Smith – restructured corporate practices amid economic recession; left the company in the midst of plummeting sales
1979-1991: Norman E. Brinker – improved cash flow by launching attack ads on rivals to gain attention in a successful "Hail Mary pass" and stepped down after 12 years of steady financial improvement and gradual growth
1991-2003: Jerry W. Levin – oversaw fluctuating strength in the company’s brand as a string of new menu offerings yielded mixed results; stepped down after 12 years due to exhaustion and amid internal criticism of his response to the SARS pandemic
2003-2006: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – ousted by the board of directors over his expensive overhauling of the company’s sanitation procedures and cooking techniques over concerns of Toxic Metal Accumulation (TMA)
2006-2009: John Walker Chidsey – stepped down after the company was hit by a class-action lawsuit concerning customers alleging they developed TMA due to the company's negligence (a lawsuit later settled out of court)
2009-2021: Donald “Don” Thompson – first African-American CEO; redirected brand, and demand generation efforts, toward lower-income customers; stepped down after nearly 12 years due to exhaustion
2021-present: Enrique "Harlando" Hernández – former McDonald’s executive; has expressed interest in "greatly" expanding the company's number of outlets
(chicken) CHICK-FIL-A Head Executives (founded in 1946):
1946-2014: S. Truett Cathy – company founder; known for opposing BLUTAG marriage, opposing keeping outlets open on Sundays, and being actively socially conservative; company reached its "peak" in the 1990s, followed by him receiving criticism and ontech boycotts for endorsing controversial politicians in the 2000s decade (such as Bernie Goetz in 2004 and 2012, and Bo Gritz in 2008); died from diabetic complications at the age of 93; succeeded by his son
2014-present: Daniel Truett Cathy – currently working to appeal to suburban and rural communities with "folksy" advertisements; his second-in-command is his brother, Donald M. “Bubba” Cathy
(burgers) MCDONALD’S Head Executives (founded in 1940):
1940-1961: Richard J. McDonald and Maurice J. McDonald – brothers, co-founders and co-owner’s during the enterprise’s early days; developed the restaurant's quick order delivery system
1961-1969: Ray Kroc – took over company by purchasing the land on which the outlets were located, technically making McDonald's a real estate venture; nationalized and globally expanded the company; took a temporary leave of absence to unsuccessfully run for Governor of California in 1966; agreed to a temporary truce with rival company KFC during the late 1960s; stepped down to run the San Diego Padres from 1969 to 1975; unsuccessfully ran for President of the United States in 1976
1969-1991: June Martino – was a close and longtime ally of Kroc; led company through the 1970s lawsuit and court case that ruled that the company had plagiarized the TV series H. R. Pufnstuf when creating the McDonaldland TV commercials; universally liked by the end of her tenure due to overseeing the company’s period of steady, continuous growth; retired in January at the age of 73
1991-2003: Frederick Leo “Fred” Turner – continued expansion into other countries; was criticized for the company's slow response to SARS concerns in 2002; retired amid continued criticisms causing stockholders to lose faith in his leadership abilities
2003-2018: Ballard F. Smith – Ray Kroc’s son-in-law and former PA-based D.A.; oversaw the introduction of healthier menu options; criticized for defending McDonald's employees receiving minimum wage and few benefits; stepped down after 15 years in order to enjoy retirement
2018-present: Kevin Hochman – was previously in charge of advertising, first for KFC and then (after leaving the company in protest of CEO Herman Cain's furloughs) for McDonald’s; currently facing criticism for the quality of working conditions for McDonald's employees nationwide
(niche burgers) OLLIE’S TROLLEYS Head Executives (founded in 1935):
1935-2002: Oliver “Ollie” Gleichenhaus – founded the original restaurant and created the original menu offerings in what began as a one-man operation; partnered with former KFC employee John Y. Brown Jr. to franchise the restaurant into a national chain; Brown left the company after failing to expand it beyond its "niche" market; oversaw day-to-day operations (even amid health issues in the 1990s) until his death
2002-present: Muktesh “Micky” Pant – has expanded menu options in order to try and keep the company afloat; chain now offers a simpler, cheaper, and easier-to-make alternative to the Ollieburger (informally dubbed the “Newlyburger”) as well as the now-slightly-pricier classic original (informally dubbed the “Oldyburger”)
(pizza) PIZZA HUT Head Executives (founded in 1958):
1958-1981: Dan Carney and Frank Carney – brothers and co-founders; Frank retired early
1981-1999: Dan Carney – expanded company during the "Golden Age of Pizza" that was the 1980s; retired after training successor
1999-2007: Greg Creed – entered office at the age of 41; modernized outlets and was quick to convert them to “drive-thru only” during the 2002 SARS pandemic; stepped down due to exhaustion
2007-2017: Barry Gordon – former S.A.G. President, former talk show host, and former two-term US Congressman (D-CA); also does voice acting work intermittently; stepped down amid declining sales
2017-present: Peter Rokkos – Greek-American businessman (founded Beach Rat Lemonade in 2005) and former prosecuting attorney; currently revamping the company's image to promote a balance between modern healthy eating habits and 1980s nostalgia
(pizza) PIZZA SHACK Head Executives (founded in 2012):
2012-present: James Stephen “Steve” Peace – founder; former actor best known for starring in the “Attack of the Killer Tomatoes” film franchise; former state senator (D-CA, 1993-2003), US Congressman (D-CA, 2005-2011), and former gubernatorial nominee (D-CA, 2010); is often confused for Barry Gordon
(chicken) POPEYES Head Executives (founded in 1972):
1972-1995: Alvin Charles "Al" Copeland – chain founder, stepped down to handle the legal fallout of a physical altercation with a rival local businessman
1995-2005: John Walker Chidsey – greatly expanded the company’s presence on the national stage (especially during the late 1990s) and oversaw the company “modernize,” but stepped down due to exhaustion
2005-2008: Alvin Charles "Al" Copeland – returned to running the company to improve shareholder confidence, but died just under three years after entering office (after suffering from a sudden development of Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare form of cancer, first detected in his salivary glands via a tumor that was discovered there in 2007) at the age of 64
2008-2010: Trevor Haynes – Australian businessman; in office during a continued period of declining sales; essentially served as a compromise interim leader until the Board of Director could finally agree on a more permanent officeholder
2010-present: Allen Adamson – former managing director of the brand consultancy Landor; has expanded the company’s number of outlets and has greatly improved the company’s brand recognition and reputation since entering office
(sandwiches) DR. SUB’S Head Executives (founded in 1946):
1965-2011: Dr. Peter Buck and Frederick Adrian “Fred” De Luca – company co-founders and served as co-CEOs; greatly expanded the company nationally in the 1980s and 1990s; Buck retired in 2011 at the age of 81 and is currently (July 4, 2021) still alive at the age of 90
2011-2015: Frederick Adrian “Fred” De Luca – died in office from leukemia at the age of 67
2015-2018: Suzanne De Luca Greco – sister of Fred De Luca; stepped down after failing to increase sales amid criticisms of the company's declining food quality and sanitation standards
2018-present: Robert D. Walter – was the company’s longtime Chairman of the Board; is currently attempting to "revitalize" the company and improve its reputation
(seafood) SPONGEBOB’S UNDERSEA CUISINE Head Executives (founded in 1991 and expanded in 1993):
1991-2016: Stephen Hillenburg – chain founder; greenlit the development of the TV series (which aired in the later half of the 1990s) that was based on the chain's highly popular TV commercials from the mid-'90s; known for refusing to divulge information about the company's trade secrets; has been praised for paying company employees living wages and allowing them to form a union, and for working quickly to apply safezoning measures during the SARS Global Pandemic; stepped down amid health crisis that ended three years later with him beating/surviving brain cancer; has served as a creative consultant for the company since early 2021
2016-present: Bryan Hillenburg – brother of chain founder; has been involved in the company since its founding; is reforming the company model to base it off KFC’s “early” years of growth and success
Bonus:
Presidents of The Walt Disney Company
1923-1945: 1) Walter Elias “Walt” Disney (1901-1966, aged 65) – company founder; introduced several developments and camera techniques in cartoon production; introduced synchronized sound/full-color/three-strip Technicolor/feature-length cartoons in the 1930s; current record-holder for the most Academy Awards won by a single individual, with 22 Oscars and 59 nominations, plus 2 Golden Globes and 1 Emmy; promoted war bonds and produced several “propaganda productions” and instruction films for the US military during WWII; stepped down to focus more on the creative side of the company’s multiple projects; peak net worth: US$1 billion
1945-1968: 2) Roy Oliver Disney (1893-1971, aged 78) – older brother of Walt Disney; worked on both the financial and creative aspects of the company, but primarily managed the finances and production issues to maximize profits; postponed retirement after Walt’s death to oversee the construction of Disney World, and stepped down a short time later; peak net worth: US$1.2 billion
1968-1971: 3) Donn B. Tatum (1913-1993, aged 80) – started working for The Disney as a production business manager in 1956 and worked his way up to Board Chairman; first non-Disney family member to head the company; played a major role in the creation of Walt Disney World Resort, EPCOT Center, Disneyland Tokyo, and Disneyland Barcelona; also contributed to the development of Space Mountain; stepped down after shareholders expressed distrust in his leadership skills amid poor box office performances; peak net worth: US$200 million
1971-1980: 4) Esmond Cardon “Card” Walker (1916-2005, aged 89) – decorated WWII veteran; previously served on the Board; followed Tatum’s interest in foreign markets and expanded the company’s presence abroad by applying the basis of KFC’s model for global expansion (understanding local tastes and tweaking menu ahead of laying down roots) to Disney theme parks abroad; greenlit several “experimental” animation efforts (such as developing painted backgrounds to create the feel of a living, moving portrait) and the developing of state-of-the-art special effects for both animated films and live-action films; stepped down amid animated feature films continuing to underperform at the box office; peak net worth: US$400 million
1980-1984: 5) Ronald William “Ron” Miller (1933-2019, aged 85) – former professional football player and the son-in-law of Walt Disney; had worked for the company since the 1950s, with his father-in-law grooming him to become a film producer; moved into directing in the 1970s before ending up on the Board of Directors; as President, expanded the company by creating Touchstone and The Disney Channel; promoted early CRI efforts and stop-motion projects; was ousted by the Board for failing to develop financial profits for the company’s shareholders; peak net worth: US$500 million
1984-1999: 6) Franklin G. “Frank” Wells (1932-2020, aged 88) – could trace his ancestry back to the Mayflower; was a company outsider, having originally worked his up to Vice Chairman at Warner Bros. before leaving that company in 1982; achieved his goal of climbing the Seven Summits in 1983, by climbing all seven mountains in one year, which was a world record for 12 years; took a hands-off approach to the company’s minutiae; greenlit investments into CRI technology, pairing up with Pixar in the 1990s to co-produce Pixar’s CRI feature films; also greenlit the development of several live-action remakes (such as 101 Dalmatians, Sleeping Beauty, and others) in the late 1990s, none of which were as profitable as the company had expected them to be; retired due to declining health from which he later recovered; peak net worth: US$6.1billion
1999-2007: 7) Jeffrey Katzenberg (b. 1950, age 70) – credited with contributing to reviving the company during the late 1980s as head of the company’s motion picture division; defeated longtime CEO Michael Eisner for the position after Wells privately told the Board that he preferred that Katzenberg be his successor despite Roy E. Disney (a powerful member of the Board) disliking Katzenberg’s “showboating [and] attention-seeking” ways; presided over an externally prosperous but internally tumultuous tenure, as he argued with others in the company hierarchy over CRI technology use, marketing and merchandising techniques, global expansion (most notably, the CRI TV series Kung Fu Panda), and pay equity reform for workers; greenlit several sequels and spinoffs amid calls by some within the company to produce more live-action remakes and by others to adapt original material for new films and TV shows; stepped down as continued internal conflicts were leaked to the press, resulting in stockholders losing faith in the company; peak net worth: US$2.9 billion
2007-2020: 8) Sid Richardson Bass (b. 1942, age 79) – involved in the company since the 1980s; selected over Stanley P. Gold and others; appealed to both stockholders and Disney Animation Artists by greenlighting projects based on folk stories that were lesser-known in the US but could yield profits in foreign markets as well as domestically; responded to the 2013 recession by furloughing over 100,000 low-pay workers; sought to improve theme park conditions and cruise line quality, especially after the Pinnacle-Sirena Collision of 2017 worsened the reputation of cruise lines; quality retired due to health issues; peak net worth: US$6.5 billion
2020-present: 9) Abigail Edna Disney (b. 1960, age 61) – is the granddaughter of Roy O. Disney; previously worked since the 1990s as an Emmy Award-winning documentary film producer, peace activist, and social organizer; was highly critical of her predecessor for earning hundreds of millions of dollars as CEO (including a $75million “farewell” package in 2020); has not denied claims that the Board of Directors only hired her after she publicly pledged to serve for five years, and with a salary that is roughly one-sixth of Bass’s; has expressed interest in addressing issues such as poverty and Global Climate Disruption more directly in future animated feature films; net worth: US$120 million
Also: Some American Mayors in this TL:
NEW YORK CITY
1/1/1966-12/31/1981: 103) Joseph F. "Joey" Periconi (1910-1914; R, R/Liberal until 1977) – former Bronx Borough President from 1962 to 1965; dealt with rising crime rates; retired amid abysmal approval ratings
1965: Paul O’Dwyer (D/Civil Service) and Charles Edison (Conservative)
1969: Mario Angelo Procaccino (D/Conservative)
1973: Harrison Jay Goldin (D) and Barry Farber (Conservative)
1977: Harrison Jay Goldin (D), Barry Farber (Conservative), Edward N. Costikyan (Liberal) and Vito P. Battista (United Taxpayers)
1/1/1982-12/23/1988: 104) Carol Bellamy (b. 1942; D/Liberal, D/Liberal/Progressive/Natural Mind after 1985) – first female Mayor of New York; previously served as President of the New York City Council; served during a slow decline in crime rates and a steady rise in employment; implemented progressive policies and defended BLUTAGO rights; was a prominent voice during the Second Ark Wave (1986); resigned to become President of the United States
1981: Roy M. Goodman (R) and Barry Farber (Conservative)
1985: Guy Molinari (R/Conservative)
12/23/1988-12/31/1989: Acting) Andrew Stein (b. Andrew J. Finkelstein in 1945; D/Liberal) – previously served as New York City Council President; lost nomination for a full term after failing to stand out in a crowded field
1/1/1990-12/31/2001: 105) Edward Irving "Ed" Koch (1924-2013; D) – previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1969 to 1989; implemented housing renewal programs; dealt with rises in hate crimes toward Asian Americans and Hispanic Americans during the Second Korean War and the War on Recreadrugs; supported the death penalty and added 4,000 officers to the NYPD payroll during his second term; retired amid low approval ratings, leaving office at the age of 77
1989: Allard K. Lowenstein (Liberal/Progressive), Ronald S. Lauder (R) and Henry F. Hewes (Conservative)
1993: Guy Molinari (R/Conservative)
1997: Herman Badillo (R/Conservative)
1/1/2002-12/31/2005: 106) John A. Catsimatidis (b. 1948; R/Conservative) – born in Greece but came with his parents to the US when he was six months old; became a billionaire businessman by owning a real estate and aviation company, a local newspaper, and a chain of grocery stores; chastised for refusing to enforce safezoning measures during the SARS Global Pandemic; lost re-election; currently owns several businesses and serves as the host of a radio talk show host
2001: Al Sharpton (D/Liberal)
1/1/2006-12/31/2013: 107) Dr. Margaret Ann “Peggy” Hamburg (b. 1955; D/Liberal/Working Families) – previously served as a public health administrator (Assistant Secretary of Health and Humane Services from 2001 to 2005, and Health Commissioner of New York City from 1994 to 2001) who clashed with Catsimatidis during the SARS Global Pandemic; drafted into running; supported successful plan to get New York City to host the 2016 Summer Olympics; struggled to respond effectively to the 2013 recession; term-limited after 2006 rule change
2005: John Catsimatidis (R/Conservative)
2009: Richard Parsons (R/Conservative) and Robert “Naked Cowboy” Burck (Independence)
1/1/2014-present: 108) James "Jimmy" McMillan III (b. 1946; Independent/Liberal/Working Families) – first African-American Mayor; former city councilman; best known for running for public offices on a platform calling for the implementing of a rent cap for New York City residents; successfully addressed housing issues with penalties for vacant units, changing zoning laws to allow for more housing areas to be built, and converting former venues for the Summer Olympics into public housing and multi-purpose areas; ran for President in 2016 and 2020; incumbent
2013: Anthony “Tony” Avella Jr. (D/Conservative), Anthony Weiner (Progressive), and Malcolm Smith (R)
2017: Trisha Ellen Meili (D) and Richard A. “Bo” Dietl (R/Conservative)
LOS ANGELES
1961-1969: 37) Samuel William "Sam" Yorty (1909-1998; D until 1973, then R) – previously served in the US House of Representatives from 1951 to 1955; populist conservative; improved city's waste management and highway conditions, cut taxes, "streamlined" city government, and presided over the city emerging as a major city; was criticized for his "zero-tolerance" approach to shoutniks and civil rights activists peacefully protesting in the early-to-mid 1960s; admonished for endorsing Republican candidates in 1964, 1966, and 1968; narrowly lost re-election in a bitter race that saw Yorty try to paint a former police officer as a dangerous radical; later ran unsuccessfully for this and other offices
1961: Norris Poulson (R)
1965: James Roosevelt (D)
1969-1997: 38) Thomas Jefferson "Tom" Bradley (1917-1998; D) – previously served in the LAPD from 1940 to 1963, then served on the city council for the city's 10th district from 1963 to 1969; ran in 1969 on his police record and city council record; city's first African-American Mayor and longest-serving Mayor; promoted business growth as a means of creating city jobs; reformed the city's housing and zoning laws; lost bids for higher office in the 1980s; in his final term was criticized for rises in traffic congestion and air pollution, and for shying away from social movements in the early 1970s and late 1980s; retired amid declining popularity and poor health, but is currently looked back on positively
1969: Samuel W. Yorty (D)
1973: Samuel W. Yorty (R)
1977: Alan Robbins (D) and Howard Jarvis (R)
1981: Samuel W. Yorty (R)
1985: John Ferraro (D)
1989: Nathaniel N. "Nate" Holden (D) and Baxter Ward (D)
1993: Richard Riordan (R)
1997-2005: 39) Nicolas "Nick" Patsaouras (b. 1943; D) – Greek-American engineer, urban planner, and public official; previously served on the board of the L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and worked for the L.A. Department of Water and Power; became nationally known when President Lee Iacocca was assassinated while standing next to him, and Patsaouras briefed the press on the tragedy later that day, still wearing his blood-splattered suit in an iconic moment; improved city's infrastructure issues; term-limited, left office with high approval ratings, and later successfully ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives
1997: Steve Soboroff (R)
2001: Tom Hayden (D)
2005-2009: 40) Xavier Becerra (b. 1958; D) – Hispanic-American; previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2005; served at a time of rising crime rates, hurting his efforts to implement President Jackson's police precinct reform proposals; lost re-election amid accusations of having connections to several scandals concerning city councilmen who were allies of him accepting bribes, even though Becerra himself was never directly linked to the scandals
2005: Joel Wachs (D)
2009-2017: 41) James Kenneth Hahn (b. 1950; D) – former lawyer and business investor; previously served as deputy city attorney (1975-1979), city controller (1981-1985), and city attorney (1985-2005); won election on the phrase "Vote For Hahn, Not The Con," which some accused as being a form of race-baiting; oversaw a drop in crime rates by utilizing the technet to open up channels of communication between the city's residents and law enforcement; switched the city’s voting process to instant-runoff/ranked choice voting in 2015; term-limited, and later successfully ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives
2009: Xavier Becerra (D)
2013: David Hernandez (D) and Xavier Becerra (D)
2017-present: 42) Herman J. "Herb" Wesson Jr. (b. 1951; D) – city's second African-American mayor; previously served as a member of the Los Angeles City Council from the 10th district (the same seat once held by Mayor Tom Bradley) from 2005 to 2017; won an 18-month term after city elections were “adjusted” in 2017; won a full term in 2018; incumbent; currently attempting to improve the city's parks and recreational options to promote families moving in to L.A. instead of moving out to neighboring suburban areas
2017: Mitchell Schwartz (D)
2018: Rick Caruso (D)
CHICAGO
1955-1976: 39) Richard J. Daley (1902-1976; D) – previously served as Cook County Clerk from 1950 to 1955; played a prominent role in the Democratic Party at the national level, being an influential figure during the 1960, 1964, 1968, and 1972 Presidential Elections; many members of his administration were charged of and convicted for corruption; died in office from a massive heart attack at the age of 74
1976-1977: 40) Wilson Lee Frost (1925-2018; D) – city's first African-American Mayor; appointed to be Daley’s successor by city council; previously served as a city alderman from 1967 to 1976; lost bid to complete Daley’s term
1977-1987: 41) Harold Lee Washington (1922-1987; D) – first African-American to be elected Mayor of Chicago; previously served in the state House from 1965 to 1977; often feuded with members of the city council, dubbed the "Council Wars," over transit issues, housing issues, and how to best address rising crime rates; died in office from a sudden heart attack at the age of 55
1987-1995: 42) Timothy C. Evans (b. 1943; D) – appointed to be Washington’s successor by city council; previously served as a member of the Chicago City Council from the 4th ward from 1973 to 1987; declined running for re-election to attempt to "pull a Bellamy" and run for President, but bowed out of the race before the primaries began due to poor polling and fundraising results; his policies were blamed for the high fatality rate of the Chicago Heat Wave of July 1995, though Evans himself accuses his successor of not doing enough during the crisis and attempting a cover-up of the true number of deaths
1995-2009: 43) Richard Michael Daley (b. 1942; D) – son of Richard J. Daley; developed the city's tourism areas and business districts, but was criticized both for presiding over rising police brutality incidents (even during President Jackson's attempts at police precinct reform) and for political allies, family members, and personal friends disproportionally benefiting from city contracting; resigned for a position in the Wellstone administration that he served in for roughly 14 months before Wellstone fired him for nepotistic hiring practices
2009-present: 44) Al Wintersmith (b. 1956; D) – African-American; incumbent; appointed Daley’s successor by city council; previously served as a city alderman from 1997 to 2009; born Deval Laurdine Patrick in Chicago to single mother Emily Wintersmith; has presided over efforts to curb police brutality incidents but has been criticized for ineffective moderate stances and milquetoast policies; failed to run for President in 2016 and 2020 but has recently expressed interest in running for Governor in 2022
HOUSTON
1982-1990: 57) Kathryn Jean Niederhofer "Kathy" Whitmire (b. 1946; D) – city's first female Mayor; previously served as city controller from 1977 to 1981; implemented city finances reform to create new social programs without raising taxes; gained national attention for giving a stirring speech endorsing Carol Bellamy at the 1988 Democratic National Convention; retired to unsuccessfully run for a US Senate seat
1981: Jack Heard (D)
1983: Bill Wright (I)
1985: Louis Welch (R)
1987: Bill Anderson (I)
1990-1994: 58) J. Fred Hofheinz (b. 1938; D) – former lawyer and the son of former Houston Mayor Roy Hofheinz (1953-1955); previously served as Mayor from 1974 to 1978; was considered a rising star in 1992 but fell into political obscurity after retiring from office and politics altogether
1989: Shelby Oringderff (I)
1991: Bob Lanier (R)
1994-2004: 59) Sylvester Turner (b. 1954; D) – city's first African-American Mayor; previously served as a member of the state House of Representatives from the 139th district from 1989 to 1994; retired to successfully run for a US Congressional seat
1993: Luis Ralph Ullrich Jr. (D)
1995: Dave Wilson (D)
1997: Robert A. Mosbacher Jr. (R)
1999: Jack “Jailbird” Terence (D)
2001: Chris Bell (D) and Luis Ralph Ullrich Jr. (D)
2004-2006: 60) Lee Patrick Brown (b. 1937; D) – African-American; former criminologist, police chief, police commissioner and businessman; lost re-election over his handling of Hurricane Rita
2003: Peter Brown (D)
2006-2012: 61) William Howard "Bill" White (D) – former attorney; previously served as the US Deputy Secretary of Energy from 2001 to 2005; retired to unsuccessfully run for a US Senate seat
2005: Lee Brown (D)
2007: Amanda Ulman (Socialist Workers)
2009: Jack O’Connor (R)
2012-2018: 62) Gene L. Locke (D) – African-American; former lawyer; previously served as a county commissioner from 2008 to 2012; lost re-election over his handling of Hurricane Harvey
2011: Roy Morales (R)
2013: Benjamin Hall III (D)
2015: Bill King (R) and Tony Buzbee (R)
2018-present: 63) Dwight Anthony Boykins (b. 1963; D) – African-American; previously served as a member of the Houston City Council for District D from 2014 to 2018; incumbent
2017: Adrian Garcia (D) and Gene L. Locke (D)
2019: Clarence Bradford (D)
PHOENIX
1976-1984: 52) Margaret Taylor Hance (1923-1990; R) – city's first female Mayor; term-limited
1984-1988: 53) Pete Dunn (R) – conservative elected in a good year for Republican; lost re-election in a good year for Democrats
1988-1996: 54) Terry Goddard (b. 1947; D) – previously served as a private attorney who prosecuted white collar crime; amended city rules so members of the city council were elected from districts instead of by a majority of all voters citywide, allowing minorities from certain parts of the city to be elected to represent their home areas and give those areas a more representative voice on the council; term-limited; later ran for higher office
1996-2004: 55) Randy Pullen (R) – addressed 1999 economic crisis by temporarily slashing social programs; barely won re-election; term-limited
2004-2012: 56) Linda Sue Nadolski (D) – supported President Jackson's police precinct reform proposals; term-limited
2012-2020: 57) Margaret D. Stock (b. 1961 in Boston, MA; R) – former member of the Military Police Corps and immigration attorney; term-limited
2020-present: 58) Rodney Glassman (D) – US Air Force veteran and former city councilman; incumbent
PHILADELPHIA
1956-1962: 91) Richardson K. Dilworth (1898-1974, aged 75; D) – previously served as the city's 16th District Attorney from 1952 to 1956; resigned to unsuccessfully run for Governor
1955: W. Thacher Longstreth (R)
1959: Harold Stassen (R)
1962-1972: 92) James Hugh Joseph Tate (1910-1983, aged 73; D) – city's first Roman Catholic mayor; previously served as City Council President from 1955 to 1962; retired
1963: James T. McDermott (R)
1967: Ethel D. Allen (R)
1972-1980: 93) Frank Lazarro Rizzo (1920-1991, aged 70; D until 1979, then R) – previously served as the Commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department; conservative; Italian-American; admonished for opposing construction of public housing in majority-white neighborhoods and promoting the city police department engaging in patterns of police brutality, coercion, and intimidation toward African-Americans; almost removed from office twice in narrow recall elections held in late 1975 and early 1978; changed party affiliation after the state Democratic Party Chair and several other prominent state Democrats refused to support him during the second recall attempt; retired amid low approval ratings
1971: W. Thacher Longstreth (R)
1975: Charles W. Bowser (I) and Thomas M. Foglietta (R)
1980-1988: 94) Lucien Edward Blackwell (1931-2003; D) – city's first African-American Mayor; previously served as a member of the Philadelphia City Council from the 3rd district from 1974 to 1980; reversed nearly all of his predecessor's policies; retired
1979: David W. Marston (R)
1983: Tom Gola (R) and Muhammad Kenyatta (I)
1988-1992: 95) George R. Burrell Jr. (D) – former city council; lost re-election
1987: Joan Specter (R)
1992-1993: 96) Frank Lazarro Rizzo (1920-1993, aged 72; D until 1979, then R) – elected with only 39% of the vote due to divided opposition; died in office from a massive heart attack amid another recall attempt
1991: George R. Burrell Jr. (D), Bernard Salera (Progressive) and Joe Rocks (Conservative)
1993-2004: 96) John Franklin Street (b. 1943; D) – previously served as a member of the Philadelphia City Council from the 5th district from 1980 to 1992, and as President of the Philadelphia City Council from 1992 to 1993; reformed the city election system to allow for mayoral runoff elections; retired
1995: W. Thacher Longstreth (R)
1999: Charles F. Dougherty (R)
2004-2008: 97) Chaka Fattah (b. Arthur Davenport in 1956; D) – previously served in the state Senate from 1989 to 1997 and again from 1999 to 2004; lost a bid for a US House seat in 1996; lost re-nomination amid rising corruption allegations
2003: Al Taubenberger (R)
2008-2016: 98) T. Milton Street Sr. (b. 1941; D) – former hot dog vendor and activist against Mayor Rizzo's housing and vending ordinances; brother of John F. Street; previously served in the state Senate from 1981 to 1989 and in the US House of Representatives from 1989 to 2007; retired
2007: Karen Brown (R)
2011: Ronald D. Castille (R)
2016-present: 99) Darrell L. Clarke (b. 1952; D) – previously served as the President of the Philadelphia City Council from 2012 to 2016; incumbent
2015: Rhashea Harmon (R)
2019: Billy Ciancaglini (R)
SAN ANTONIO
1975-1981: 173) Lila Cockrell (D) – city's first female Mayor; retired
1981-1989: 174) Henry G. Cisneros (D) – retired; later elected Lt. Gov., then Governor, of Texas
1989-1993: 175) Lila Cockrell (D) – female; extended term lengths from 2 years to 4 years; retired to successfully run for Congress
1993-2001: 176) Howard W. Peak (R) – term-limited
2001-2009: 177) Edward D. Garza (D) – city's first Hispanic-American Mayor; term-limited; later elected to Congress
2009-2014: 178) Mike Rawlings (D) – businessman; resigned to manage the Houston Astros
2014-2017: 179) Ivy Ruth Taylor (D) – city's first African-American Mayor; retired to successfully run for Congress
2017-2021: 180) Michael U. “Mike” Villarreal (D) – lost re-nomination
2021-present: 181) Diego Bernal (D) – incumbent
SAN FRANCISCO
1/8/1968-1/8/1976: 36) Joseph L. Alioto (D) – Italian-American; term-limited
1967: Harold Dobbs (R) and Jack Morrison (D)
1971: Harold Dobbs (R), Dianne Feinstein (D) and Fred Selinger (I)
1/8/1976-1/7/1984: 37) George Moscone (D) – term-limited
1975: John J. Barbagelata (R)
1979: Eric “Jello Biafra” Boucher (Natural Mind)
1/8/1984-1/7/1992: 38) Carol Ruth Silver (D) – term-limited
1983: Gloria La Riva (Natural Mind)
1987: Dianne Feinstein (D)
1/8/1992-1/7/2000: 39) Art Agnos (D) – Greek-American; term-limited
1991: Frank Jordan (D)
1995: Willie Brown (D)
1/8/2000-1/7/2008: 40) Roberta Achtenberg (D) – openly BLUTAGO; term-limited
1999: Tom Ammiano (D)
2003: Matt Gonzalez (Green)
1/8/2008-1/7/2016: 41) Tom Ammiano (D) – openly BLUTAGO; term-limited
2007: Josh Wolf (Green)
2011: John Avalos (D) – first election to use Ranked-Choice Voting after city approved its use in 2008
1/7/2016-present: 42) Angela Alioto (D) – daughter of Joseph Alioto; incumbent
2015: Stuart Schuffman (Green)
2019: Mark Leno (D)
INDIANAPOLIS
1968-1976: 44) Richard Lugar (R) – retired to successfully run for a US House seat
1967: John J. Barton (D)
1971: John Neff (D)
1976-1990: 45) William H. Hudnut III (R) – resigned to become state Secretary of State
1975: Robert V. Welch (D)
1979: Paul Cantwell (D)
1983: John J. Sullivan (D)
1987: J. Bardford Senden (D)
1990-1996: 46) Stephen Goldsmith (R) – ascended to office as Head of the Indianapolis City-County Council; retired to successfully run for Governor
1991: Louis Mahern (D)
1996-2004: 47) Virginia Blankenbaker (R) – retired
1995: Z. Mae Jimison (D) and Steve Dillon (Liberty)
1999: Jocelyn Tandy-Adande (D)
2004-2012: 48) André Carson (D) – retired to unsuccessfully run for Governor
2003: Robert L. “Bob” Parker (R)
2007: Erick Lynn Gordon (R) and Fred Peterson (Liberty)
2012-2020: 49) Sue Anne Gilroy (R) – retired
2011: Melina Kennedy (D)
2015: Ed DeLaney (D) and Jocelyn Tandy-Adande (Independent Republican)
2020-present: 50) Samuel Ifeanyi “Vop” Osili Jr. (D) – retired
2019: Jeff Cardwell (R)
SEATTLE
1990-1998: 49) Norm Rice (D) – term-limited
1989: Douglas Jewett (R) and Dolores Sibonga (I)
1993: William Cassisus Goodloe III (Taxpayers), Jane Noland (D) and Cheryl Chow (D)
1998-2006: 50) Charlie Chong (D) – term-limited
1997: Gregory J. Nickels (D) and Scott Breen (D)
2001: Bob Hegamin (D)
2006-2009: 51) Al Runte (D) – resigned over scandal
2005: Christal Olivia Wood (D)
2009-2010: 52) Joe Mallahan (D) – interim Mayor
2010-2017: 53) Scott Lindsay (R) – resigned to become a US Representative
2009: Jessyn Farrell (D)
2013: Lorena Gonzalez (D) and Bruce Harrell (D)
2017-2018: 54) Joe Mallahan (D) – interim Mayor
2018-present: 55) Cary Moon (D) – incumbent
2017: Clinton Bliss (D) and Colleen Echohawk (D)
DENVER
1968-1983: 40) William H. McNichols, Jr. (D) – ascended to office after incumbent resigned; lost re-election
1971: Dale Tooley (D)
1975: Dale Tooley (D)
1979: Felicia Muftic (D)
1983-1987: 41) Federico Pena (D) – lost re-election
1983: William H. McNichols Jr. (D) and Wellington Webb (D)
1987-1994: 42) Wellington Webb (D) – resigned to become Governor
1987: Federico Pena (D) and Don Bain (R)
1991: Norman S. "Norm" Early Jr. (D)
1994-2003: 43) Mary A. DeGroot (D) – ascended to office as she was City Council President at the time
1995: Richard O. Grimes (R)
1999: Stephannie S. Huey (I)
2003-2015: 44) Penfield Tate III (D) – retired to successfully run for a US Senate seat
2003: Aristedes "Ari" Zavaras (D)
2007: Danny F. Lopez (R)
2011: Carol Boigon (D)
2015-present: 45) James Mejia (D) – incumbent
2015: Jamie Giellis (D)
2019: Marcus Giavanni (D)
BOSTON
1960-1968: 50) John F. Collins (D) – retired
1959: John E. Powers (D)
1963: Gabriel F. Piemonte (D)
1968-1972: 51) Kevin H. White (D) – lost re-election
1967: John Winthrop Sears (R)
1972-1976: 52) Leverett Saltonstall Jr. (R) – lost re-election
1971: Kevin H. White (D)
1976-1980: 53) Kevin H. White (D) – lost re-election
1975: Louis Day Hicks (R)
1980-1988: 54) William Lawrence Saltonstall (R) – retired
1979: Kevin H. White (D)
1983: Joseph F. Timilty (D)
1988-2004: 55) Melvin H. “Mel” King (D) – city's first African-American Mayor; retired
1987: Joseph M. Tierney (D)
1991: Raymond Flynn (D)
1995: Thomas Menino (D)
1999: James T. Brett (D)
2004-2011: 56) Kelly Ann Timilty (D) – first female Mayor of Boston; resigned due to declining health
2003: Peggy Davis-Mullen (D)
2007: Althea Garrison (D)
2011-2012: 57) Stephen J. Murphy (D) – ascended to office as City Council President; retired
2012-2016: 58) Sam Yoon (D) – lost re-election
2011: Michael F. Flaherty (D)
2016-present: 59) Ayanna Pressley (D) – incumbent
2015 (blanket primary): Felix G. Arroyo (D) and Sam Yoon (D)
2015 (runoff): Felix G. Arroyo (D)
2019: Tito Jackson (D)
DETROIT
1962-1973: 68) Jerome Patrick Cavanaugh (D) – resigned for a position in the Mondale administration,
1973-1974: 69) William G. “Billy” Rogell (D) – ascended to office as City Council President
1974-1994: 70) Coleman Alexander Young I (D) – first African-American mayor; retired,
1994-2006: 71) George Cushingberry Jr. (D) – retired
2006-2007: 72) Kwame Kilpatrick (D) – was a potential governor candidate; fatally struck by a stray bullet fired by either police or perps during a bank heist,
2007-2008: 73) Kenneth Cockrel Jr. (D) – ascended to office as City Council President; lost bid to complete predecessor’s term
2008-2010: 74) Ella M. Bully-Cummings (D) – first female Mayor; was the city’s Chief of Police (2003-2008); lost re-election
2010-2018: 75) George Cushingberry Jr. (D) – lost re-election
2018-present: 76) Coleman Alexander Young II (D) – is the son of a former Mayor; incumbent
LOUISVILLE
1961-1965: 49) William O. Cowger (R) – term-limited
1965-1969: 50) Kenneth A. Schmied (R) – term-limited
1969-1973: 51) Frank Burke (D) – term-limited
1973-1979: 52) Harvey I. Sloane (D) – worked with city council to amend term limits in 1974 in exchange for retiring in 1979 if he won another term in 1975
1979-1987: 53) Tommy Klein (R) – term-limited
1987-1991: 54) Bob Heleringer (R) – lost re-election
1991-1997: 55) William B. Stansbury (D) – died in office from cancer
1997-2007: 56) Jerry Abramson (D) – term-limited
2007-2015: 57) Hal Heiner (R) – retired to successfully run for Governor of Kentucky
2015-present: 58) David Tandy (D) – incumbent
COLUMBUS
1960-1964: 47) Ralston Westlake (R) – lost re-election
1964-1972: 48) Jack Sensenbrenner (D) – retired to successfully run for Congress
1972-1976: 49) Jerry Spears Jr. (R) – lost re-election
1976-1984: 50) John Rosemond (D) – retired
1984-1992: 51) Buck Rinehart (R) – retired
1992-2000: 52) Ben Espy (D) – first African-American Mayor
2000-2004: 53) Dorothy Teater (R) – first female Mayor
2008-2015: 54) Buck Rinehart (R) – died in office from pancreatic cancer
2015-2015: 55) Michael C. Mentel (R) – ascended to the office as City Council President
2015-2020: 56) Bill Todd (R) – won special election; lost re-election
2020-present: 57) Andrew Yang (D) – first Asian-American Mayor
OKLAHOMA CITY
1971-1987: 31) Patience Latting (D) – retired
1987-1999: 32) Opio Toure (D) – lost re-election
1999-2013: 33) Guy Liebmann (R) – resigned for congressional seat
2013-2013: 34) Frosty Peak (officially nonpartisan) – interim
2013-2019: 35) David Holt (R) – won special election, then regular election, then lost re-election
2019-present: 36) Edward A. Shadid (D) – incumbent
BALTIMORE
1963-1967: 42) Theodore McKeldin (R) – lost re-election
1967-1971: 43) Thomas D’Alesandro III (D) – lost re-nomination
1971-1991: 44) William D. Schaefer (D) – retired
1991-1999: 45) Nancy Pelosi (D) – lost re-election
1999-2008: 46) Kurt Schmoke (D) – resigned after successfully running for a US House seat in 2008
2008-2015: 47) Martin O’Malley (D) – lost a bid for the Democratic nomination for Governor in 2014; lost re-nomination
2015-present: 48) Patricia Coats Jessamy (D) – incumbent
MILWAUKEE
1948-1960: 35) Frank Zeidler (Socialist) – retired
1960-1999: 36) Henry Maier (D) – died in office from natural causes, age 81
1999-2004: 37) James E. Kreuser (D) – ascended to office as City Council President; lost re-election
2004-2012: 38) Wendell J. Harris (Socialist) – first Black Mayor; term-limited
2012-2020: 39) Joe Davis Sr. (D) – second Black Mayor; term-limited
2020-present: 40) Lena C. Taylor (D) – third Black Mayor and first female Mayor; term-limited
ALBUQUERQUE
1985-1989: 24) Ken Schultz (D) – retired
1989-1993: 25) Louis E. Saavedra (D) – retired
1993-2001: 26) Gary Johnson (R) – term-limited
2001-2005: 27) Martin Chavez (D) – retired to run for higher office
2005-2013: 28) Eric Griego (D) – term-limited
2013-present: 29) Richard Romero (D) – incumbent
ATLANTA
1974-1982: 54) Maynard Jackson (D) – term-limited
1982-1983: 55) Sidney Marcus (D) – died (cancer)
1983-1986: 56) Leroy Johnson (D) – ascended to office as City Council President; lost re-election
1986-1990: 57) Charles L. Weltner (D) – lost re-election
1990-1998: 58) Leroy Johnson (D) – term-limited
1998-2006: 59) Shirley Franklin (D) – term-limited
2006-2014: 60) Marvin S. Arrington (D) – term-limited
2014-present: 61) Lisa Borders (D) – former WNBA President; incumbent
JACKSONVILLE
1949-1967: 35) W. Haydon Burns (D) – retired to successfully run for Congress in 1968
1967-1979: 36) Hans Gearhart Tanzler Jr. (D) – retired to unsuccessfully run for the US Senate in 1980
1979-1987: 37) Jake Maurice Godbold (D) – retired
1987-1991: 38) Tommy Hazouri (D) – first Mayor of Lebanese descent; lost re-election
1991-1995: 39) T. Edward “Ed” Austin Jr. (R) – first Republican Mayor since 1888; lost re-election
1995-1999: 40) Betty S. Nolzendorf (D) – first female and first African-American Mayor; lost re-election amid low approval ratings
1999-2007: 41) Nathaniel “Nat” Glover Jr. (R) – retired to successfully run for Congress in 2008
2007-2011: 42) Mike Hogan (R) – lost re-election
2011-2019: 43) Alvin Brown (D) – retired to unsuccessfully run for Congress in 2020
2019-present: 44) Anna Brosche (R) – incumbent
SAN DIEGO
1955-1963: 27) Charles Dail (D) – retired due to waning health
April 1955: Harry L. Foster (I)
March 1959: James W. Morgan (I)
1963-1971: 28) Allen Hitch (R) – previously served on the city council; amended city’s election processes/system; lost re-election due to waning popularity over his response to the “Arkwave” of 1970
Nov 1963: Murray D. Goodrich (D)
Nov 1967: Frank Curran (D)
1971-1975: 29) Helen R. Cobb (I) – previously served on the city council; city’s first female Mayor; reformed city’s election processes/system; retired to uphold to her single-term pledge
Nov 1971: Allen Hitch (R), Ed Butler (D) and several others
1975-1987: 30) John Michael Schaefer (D) – previously served on the city council; retired to successfully run for a US House seat in 1988
Nov 1975: Pete Wilson (R)
Nov 1979: Lee Hubbard (R)
Nov 1983: Rich Riel (I)
1987-1991: 31) Charles Ulmschneider (D) – previously served in the state assembly; lost re-election amid criticisms over his handling of taxes and the city budget
Nov 1987: Dick Carlson (R)
1991-1995: 31) Tom Hom (R) – previously served on the city council, in the state senate, and in the U.S. House; city’s first Asian-America Mayor; lost re-election (finished in third place, missing the runoff) in a race that prominently featured anti-Asian dog-whistling from the race’s most conservative candidate
Nov 1991: Charles Ulmschneider (D)
1995-2001: 32) Richard Silberman (R) – moderate businessman; Jewish; husband of city councilwoman Susan Golding; won in 1995 in a race that saw Democratic support implode because of sympathy over the May 1995 assassination of Lee Iacocca and multiple Democrats splitting the liberal vote in the summer 1995 blanket primary; resigned after being indicted for misuse of funds
Nov 1995: Peter Navarro (I)
Nov 1999: Peter Q. Davis (R)
2001-2001: Acting) Juan Carlos Vargas (D) – previously served on the city council from 1993 to 2001 and served as City Council President from 1999 to 2001; Hispanic-American; retired to successfully run for a U.S. House seat in 2002 as he had initially planned
2001-2015: 33) Donna Frye (D) – inspired by Bob Ross and her surfer husband to become an environmental and community leader in the early 1990s; previously served on the city council from 1997 to 2001; promoted government transparency and numerous social programs; retired amid waning popularity
Aug 2001 (special): Jim Bell (D), Pat Shea (R), Mike Shelby (R), Richard Rider (Liberty) and several others
Nov 2003: Steve Francis (R)
Nov 2007: Floyd L. Morrow (D)
Nov 2011: Tobian Pettus (R)
2015-present: 34) David Alvarez (D) – previously served on the city council from 2010 to 2015; Hispanic; strengthened city’s relations with Mexico and supported the ultimately-unsuccessful effort to have San Diego and Tijuana jointly host the 2028 Summer Olympics (but hadn’t made it a campaign promise); incumbent; may run for Mike Gravel’s U.S. Senate seat in 2022
2015: Tony Young (D)
2019: Christine T. Kehoe (D)
NEW ORLEANS
1946-1961: 54) deLesseps S. “Chep” Morrison Sr. (D) – resigned for a position in the Johnson administration
1961-1962: 55) James E. “Jimmy” Fitzmorris Jr. (D) – as City Council President, ascended and completed predecessor’s term; retired
1962-1966: 56) Victor Hugo “Vic” Schiro (D) – lost re-election due to the candidacy of Addison Roswell “Rozzy” Thompson (H.I.P.) working as a spoiler
1966-1974: 57) Gerald J. Gallinghouse, Sr. (D) – term-limited
1974-1982: 58) Maurice E. “Moon” Landrieu (D) – term-limited
1982-1989: 59) Ernest Nathan “Dutch” Morial (D) – 1st African-American mayor; died suddenly from a respiratory issue
1989-1990: 60) Lambert C. Boissiere Jr. (D) – 2nd African-American mayor; as City Council President, ascended and completed predecessor’s term; retired
1990-1994: 61) James M. Singleton (D) – 3rd African-American mayor; won over longtime rival Bill Jefferson (D); lost re-election over ties to a scandal
1994-1996: 62) deLesseps S. “Toni” Morrison Jr. (D) – the child of a former Mayor; died suddenly from an undisclosed form of cancer
1996-1998: 63) Troy Anthony Carter (D) – 4th Black mayor; as City Council President, ascended and completed predecessor’s term; lost re-nomination
1998-2006: 64) Mary Landrieu (D) – the child of a former Mayor; term-limited
2006-2014: 65) Marc Haydel Morial (D) – 5th African-American mayor; is the child of a former Mayor; term-limited
2014-present: 66) Mitchell J. “Mitch” Landrieu (D) – the child of a former Mayor and the younger sibling of another former Mayor; incumbent
KANSAS CITY (Missouri)
1963-1971: 48) Ilus Winfield Davis (1917-1996, D) – oversaw the building of the Kansas City International Airport; pushed for the construction of the Truman Sports Complex; retired to successfully run for a state Senate seat
1963: Dutton Brookfield (I)
1967: Rex Bone (R)
1971-1979: 49) Charles Bertan Wheeler, Jr. (b. 1926, D) – former county court judge; known for sporting a bowtie; lost re-election; later served in the state senate from 2003 to 2007, and in the US House from 2013 to 2017, stepping down to run for governor in 2016 at the age of 89 (finished in second place in the Democratic Primary); currently (as of July 4, 2021) still alive at the age of 94
1971: Leon Mercer Jordan (1905-2001, D)
1975: Leon Mercer Jordan (1905-2001, D)
1979-1980: 50) Bruce Riley Watkins, Sr. (1924-1980, D) – previously served on the city council from 1963 to 1979; city’s first African-American Mayor; died suddenly from cancer
1979: Charles B. Wheeler (b. 1926, D)
1980-1991: 51) Phil B. Curls, Sr. (1942-2007, D) – previously served on the city council since 1968; ascended via city council selection vote; retired to successfully run for Congress in 1992 (and served from 1993 until his death from a sudden heart attack)
1983: Richard L. Berkley (b. 1931, R)
1987: Richard A. King (1944-2006, D)
1991-1999: 52) Katheryn Shields (b. 1946, D) – previously served on the city council from 1987 to 1991; city’s first female Mayor; oversaw the renovation of county buildings and the Truman Sports Complex, instituted “green” policies, and defended BLUTAGO rights and women’s rights; retired to successfully run for state senate; later ran for the Democratic nomination for Governor but lost amid allegations of wire fraud of which she was later acquitted
1991: Bob Lewellen (D)
1995: Alvin Brooks (b. 1932, D)
1999-2003: 53) George D. Blackwood, Jr. (b. 1939, D) – lawyer and former city councilman; lost re-election amid riots breaking out during safezoning efforts
1999: Kay Barnes (b. 1938, D)
2003-2011: 54) Clay Chastain (R) – former engineer and businessman; focused on job creation via tax cuts to small local businesses; received criticism for opposing President Jackson’s police precinct reform efforts; term-limited
2003: George D. Blackwood, Jr. (b. 1939, D)
2007: Stanford P. Glazer (I)
2011-2019: 55) Deb Hermann (b. 1954, D) – city’s second female Mayor; expanded city’s “green” infrastructure policies; term-limited
2011: Charles B. Wheeler (b. 1926, D)
2015: Janice S. Ellis (D)
2019-present: 56) Jolie L. Justus (b. 1971, D) – city’s third female Mayor and first openly BLUTAGO Mayor; enthusiastic supporter of President Pritt; incumbent
2019: Henry Klein (b. 1962, D)
KANSAS CITY (Kansas)
1/1/1972-12/31/1975: 40) Richard F. Walsh (I) – won election over two-term incumbent; lost re-election
1/1/1976-11/25/1988: 41) John “Jack” Reardon (D) – lured multiple businesses to the region to improve the local economy and lower unemployment rates; died in office from a sudden heart attack at the age of 45
11/25/1988-12/31/1991: 42) M. James Madin (I) – previously served as City Administrator; retired
1/1/1992-12/31/1995: 42) Joe Steineger Jr. (D) – lost re-election
1/1/1996-12/31/2003: 43) Carol Marinovich (D) – previously served on the city council from 1989 to 1996; city’s first female Mayor; focused on improving the city’s tourism industry; retired
1/1/2004-12/31/2015: 44) Joseph “Joe” Reardon (D) – son of Mayor John “Jack” Reardon; previously served as Wyandotte County Commissioner from 2002 to 2004; entered office at the age of 35; revitalized downtown region and worked to develop the Kansas Speedway to produce local jobs; retired
1/1/2016-12/31/2019: 45) Ann Murguia (D) – city’s second female Mayor; entered office at the age of 47; lost re-election over a rise in taxes
1/1/2020-present: 46) Mark R. Holland (D) – entered office at the age of 51; incumbent
SAN JOSE (California)
1967-1971: 58) Ronald Raymond “Ron” James (D, b. 1928) – city’s first popularly elected Mayor; retired
1971-1975: 59) Norman Yoshio Mineta (D, b. 1931) – city’s first Japanese-American Mayor; previously served as Vice Mayor; adjusted election dates and created development-free areas in East and South San Jose; retired to successfully run for a U.S. House seat in 1974 (as served as both the Mayor and a U.S. Congressman from January 3 to January 9 of 1975 due to overlapping terms, a situation which was allowed by the city charter until 1981)
1975-1983: 60) Janet Gray Hayes (D, 1926-2014) – former Vice Mayor and former city councilperson; defended women’s rights and supported social programs; city’s first female Mayor
1983-1991: 61) Barton L. Collins (D) – former chief of detectives of the San Jose Police Department; almost lost re-election over his initial responses to the Second Arkwave; was increasingly unpopular by the end of his time in office; term-limited
1991-1999: 62) Susan Walker Hammer (D, 1938-2020) – rebuilt downtown to foster economic development; created youth programs; oversaw population growth and construction projects across the city; term-limited; later served in the U.S. House of Representatives
1999-2007: 63) Ron Gonzales (D, b. 1951) – previously served as County Supervisor from 1989 to 1999; city’s first Hispanic Mayor since 1845; designed programs to attract young teachers to the city's schools, including home purchase assistance programs; suffered a minor stroke in 2004 amid dog whistle attacks over raising tax to cover a raise for sanitation workers and other city workers; term-limited and retired from election politics
2007-2015: 64) Cindy Chavez (D, b. 1964) – previously served on the city council; focused on public health, human services, and transportation; defended rights for BLUTAGO and immigrants; led efforts to create jail diversion programs for mentally ill offenders and homeless citizens, including sobering stations, crisis stabilization centers, and mobile crisis teams; term-limited; later served in the U.S. House of Representatives
2015-incumbent: 65) Madison Nguyen (D) – born in Vietnam but moved to the US with her family when she was a child; former City Councilor from District 7; working on building new college campuses and in San Jose; incumbent
FORT WORTH
1982-1991: 40) Robert Eugene “Bob” Bolen (1926-2014, R) – former businessman; retired
1991-1995: 41) Kay Granger (b. 1943, R) – city’s first female Mayor; retired to successfully run for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives; later elected to the US Senate and was a potential candidate for Vice President of the United States in 2012
1995-2003: 42) Kenneth Barr (D) – former city councilman; retired
2003-2011: 43) Jim Lane (D) – worked with the Jesse Jackson administration to implement police precinct reform despite heavy pushback from several groups; retired
2011-2021: 44) Betsy Price (b. 1949, R) – former business owner and former Tarrant County tax assessor; reversed many of her predecessor’s policies; resigned to become a US Representative
2021-2021: 45) Brian Byrd (D) – head of the city council; lost election to a full term
2021-present: 46) Deborah Peoples (D) – progressive; city’s third female Mayor and first African-American Mayor; incumbent
CHARLOTTE (North Carolina)
1983-1988: 50) Harvey Gantt (D, b. 1943) – city’s first African-American Mayor; previously served on the city council from 1974 to 1983; supported infrastructure improvement efforts; resigned after being elected Governor in 1988; later unsuccessfully ran for the US Senate, then served as the US Ambassador to the UK from 2001 to 2005, as the US Ambassador to the UN from 2005 to 2009, and as the US Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013
1988-1989: 51) Al Rousso (D) – former city councilman; selected by city council to succeed Gantt as Mayor; lost election to a full term
1989-1991: 52) Sue Wilkins Myrick (R, b. 1941) – city’s first female Mayor; previously served on the city council from 1981 to 1989; lost re-election
1991-1995: 53) Craig Madans (D) – former city councilman; retired amid waning popularity and his increasing personal dislike of the occupation’s “limits”
1995-1999: 54) Patrick Lloyd McCrory (R, b. 1956) – previously served on the city council from 1989 to 1995; city’s youngest elected Mayor, entering office at the age of 39; strongly supported President Larry Dinger and the War on Recreadrugs; lost re-election and failed to challenge the election results despite the narrow margin of Scarborough’s victory; later opened his own law firm and chaired the North Carolina chapter of the Goetz’04 and Goetz’08 campaigns; lost bids for a U.S. House seat in 2010, 2012 and 2014; still claims he won the 1999 election
1999-2005: 55) Ella Butler Scarborough (D) – former city councilperson; city’s first female African-American Mayor; brought a maglev train system to the city; implemented civil rights and police precinct reform; retired to unsuccessfully run for a U.S. House seat in 2006, a bad year for Democrats
2005-2009: 56) Malcolm Graham (D) – former city councilperson; retired amid low popularity
2009-2017: Anthony Foxx (D, b. 1971) – previously served on the city council from 2005 to 2009; changed the city’s small business loan program during the 2013 recession to trump job losses; retired to unsuccessfully run for Congress in 2018
2017-present: Joel D. M. Ford (D) – overseeing the process of bringing electric car companies to the city; incumbent
EL PASO
1977-1985: 40) Reynaldo “Ray” Salazar (D, 1931-2016) – former accountant; city’s second Hispanic Mayor; opposed the Denton administration’s short-lived border fence proposal; later served in Bellamy administration’s Treasury Department
1985-1989: 41) Thomas D. Westfall (D, 1927-2005) – former FBI agent and criminal investigator; bombastic and aggressive approach to city government led to him making more enemies than friends in city government, who helped his political opponents in his failed bid for a second term
1989-1997: 42) Suzanne S. “Suzie” Azar (D, b. 1946) – city’s first female Mayor; former flight instructor; almost lost re-election in 1991 due to “overconfidence”; dealt with the War on Recreadrugs, including a minor 1996 hostage crisis on the US-Mexican border; retired to successfully run for a U.S. House seat in 1998 and served until 2007; lost bids for the Democratic nomination for a US Senate seat in 2006 and again in 2012
1997-2001: 43) William Stephen “Bill” Tilney (D, b. 1939) – previously served as the U.S. Consul General in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico; oversaw efforts to minimize the effects of the 1999 recession; retired as part of a 1997 campaign pledge to only serve two terms; later taught US history at Jackie Robinson Academy in Long Beach, California
2001-2005: 44) Carlos Ramirez (D) – Hispanic; supported the Jesse Jackson administration; lost re-election; challenged 2005 election results on the claim that the similarity of the names of the candidates on the ballot confused people
2005-2013: 45) Carmen Rodriguez (D) – Hispanic; supported the Jesse Jackson administration; re-elected in 2011 over Jaime O. Perez (Liberty) after support for the local Republican party dropped so low the party did not even bother to field a candidate and instead endorsed Perez; term-limited
2013-2021: 46) Robert Francis “Bobby” O’Rourke (D, b. 1972) – former indie rock guitarist in the band Foss (1993-2005), former professional skateboarder (2002-2008), and former city councilman (2009-2013); known for feuding with Harley Brown supporters ontech; term-limited; has expressed interest in running for higher office in 2022
2021-present: 47) Estela Casas (D, b. 1961) – Hispanic; city’s second female Mayor; former news anchor for KVIA-TV; currently working to open a new medical school and cancer research center; incumbent
Metropolitan NASHVILLE
1963-1971: 1) Clifford Robertson Allen (D, 1912-1978) – former state senator; populist; worked to make a certain amount of property held by elderly homeowners with low incomes exempt from property tax; term-limited; later served in the U.S. House from 1973 until his death from complications of a heart attack
1971-1979: 2) Richard Harmon Fulton (D, 1927-2018) – previously served in the U.S. House from 1963 to 1971; supported teachers and public schools, but was criticized for his handling of several local issues; term-limited; later lost several bids for public office
1979-1987: 3) Jessie D. McDonald (R until 1986, then I) – young; city’s first African-American Mayor; former city councilman; often feuded with the city police and national Republicans, including President Denton; term-limited and retired from election politics
1987-1995: 4) Robert Nelson “Bob” Clement (D, b. 1943) – son of Governor Frank G. Clement; previously served on the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority as a Mondale appointee; promoted “clean” energy projects; term-limited; later elected Governor
1995-2003: 5) Thelma Marie Claybrooks Harper (D, 1940-2021) – city’s first female Mayor and second African-American Mayor; longtime political activist; previously served in the state senate from 1989 to 1995; known for wearing flamboyant hats; established programs to provide students from low-income homes with school supplies and lunches, increased legal protections to stop financial exploitation of the elderly by their caretakers, and passed a safe haven law for abandoned babies to promote adoption over abortion; championed women’s rights and children’s rights; term-limited; served in the U.S. House from 2005 until her retirement in 2019
2003-2011: 6) Brenda Gilmore (D, b. 1952) – former city councilperson from 1993 to 2003; city’s second female Mayor and third African-American Mayor; supported teachers union during local CBA dispute; term-limited; later elected to the state house and then the state senate
2011-2019: 7) Megan Barry (D, b. 1963) – former city councilperson; focused on infrastructure improvement; term-limited; currently serving in the state Senate
2019-present: 8) Harold Moses Love Jr. (D, b. 1972) – pastor; previous served in the state House from 2013 to 2019; city’s fourth African-American Mayor; supports civil justice reforms; incumbent
PORTLAND (Oregon)
1/1/1957-4/4/1979: 44) Terrence Doyle “Terry” Schrunk (D, 1913-1979) – previously served as Multnomah County Sheriff from 1949 to 1957; advocated for urban renewal; city’s longest-serving Mayor; died in office at the age of 66 from a heart attack
4/4/1979-12/31/1980: 45) Constance "Connie" Averill McCready (R, 1921-2000) – previously served as City Council Commissioner from 1970 to 1979; supported the ERA and BLUTAGO rights; lost election bid for a full term; later elected to the U.S. House
1/1/1981-12/31/1984: 46) William L. Patrick (D) – former city councilperson; lost re-election over his tax reforms and over his support for a controversial freeway proposal
1/1/1985-12/31/1992: 47) John Elwood “Bud” Clark, Jr. (I, b. 1931) – former businessman; left-leaning populist; supported mass transit improvements, downtown development, and addressing the causes of homelessness; retired after establishing term limits; later elected Governor
1/1/1993-12/31/2000: 48) Vera Pistrak Katz (D, 1933-2017) – born in Germany to a Jewish family that fled to the US after Hitler rose to power; previously served as Speaker of the state House; city’s second female Mayor but first female elected Mayor; supported the arts and public transportation, including maglev trains and bike paths; re-elected an upset over Grattan Kerans (D); term-limited; later elected to the U.S. House of Representatives
1/1/2001-12/31/2008: 49) Michael D. “Mike” Schrunk (D, b. 1942) – previously served as the Multnomah County District Attorney from 1981 to 2000; son of Terry Schrunk; worked with the US Justice Department to implement civil justice reform and police precinct reform; re-elected over Jim Posey (Green); term-limited
1/1/2009-12/31/2016: 50) Sho Dozono (I, b. 1944) – former businessman; city’s first Japanese-American Mayor; left-leaning centrist; focused on environmental protection, fiscal responsibility, and education reform; term-limited
1/1/2017-12/31/2020: 51) Peter Edward Zuckerman (D, b. 1979) – former investigative journalist and progressive political activist; city’s first openly BLUTAGO Mayor (his husband is former City Commissioner Samuel Francis Adams); focused on recreadrug-related issues and on civil justice measures; lost re-election (failed to advance to the runoff due to coming in third place in the blanket primary)
1/1/2021-present: 52) Carmen Rubio (I, b. 1973) – city’s third female Mayor; former non-profit executive; Mexican-American; incumbent
PORTLAND (Maine)
1970-1971: 90) Dr. William L. MacVane (D) – open-heart surgeon; retired after one term
1971-1972: 91) Edward I. Bernstein (R) – focused on local issues and ignored national and even some statewide issues; retired after one term
1972-1973: 92) William B. Troubh (D) – in office when Portland voters approved a citywide referendum in November 1972 changing the city charter to recreate an elected mayor position that had previously been removed in 1923
1973-1974: 93) Edward I. Bernstein (R) – supported expanding the office’s powers, abilities, and responsibilities; lost “re-election” bid; city’s last “ceremonial” Mayor
1974-1982: 94) Gerard P. Conley Sr. (D, 1930-2018) – first citizen-elected Mayor in roughly 50 years; previously served on the city council from 1968 to 1977; term-limited
1982-1990: 95) Esther B. Clenott (D, 1924-2015) – city’s first female Mayor; former schoolteacher; previously served on the city council from 1978 to 1982; term-limited
1990-1998: 96) Anne M. Rand (D, b. 1946) – city’s second female Mayor; previously served in the state House from 1986 to 1990; term-limited
1998-2006: 97) Thomas Hiram Andrews (D, b. 1953) – previously served in the state House, state Senate, and U.S. House; term-limited
2006-2014: 98) J. Elizabeth Mitchell (D, b. 1969) – city’s third female Mayor; previously served in the state House and in the state Senate; term-limited
2014-present: 99) Ethan Strimling (D, b. 1967) – former non-profit executive; currently focused on education and city planning reform; incumbent
TUSCON
1955-1961: 33) Don Humnmel (D, 1907-1988) – aggressively encouraged the city’s growth; retired
1961-1963: 34) Frank T. Gibbings (D) – former city councilperson; won in a good year for Democrats due to the initial popularity of the Cuba War
1963-1975: 35) Keith Spalding Brown (R, 1913-1991) – former state GOP chair and former professional athlete; allied with Barry Goldwater in 1971; adjusted term lengths; lost re-election
1975-1979: 36) Lorenzo P. Torrez (D, 1927-2012) – city’s first Hispanic mayor since 1876; former coal miner and union organizer; lost re-election
1979-1987: 37) William Gilkinson (R) – former city councilperson; strongly supported Denton until 1986; lost re-election
1987-1991: 38) Thomas John “Tom” Volgy (D, b. 1946) – born to Hungarian immigrants; former city councilperson; lost re-election over tax agenda
1991-1999: 39) George Borozan (R) – former city councilperson; clashed with city’s Hispanic population over multiple incidents and controversies; won re-election in a landslide over controversial former campaign strategist and political prankster Richard "Dick" Tuck; lost re-election
1999-2007: 40) Emily M. Machala (D) – city’s first female mayor; attempt to reform city’s city department; retired
2007-2011: 41) Thomas John “Tom” Volgy (D, b. 1946) – former mayor; lost re-nomination over his handling of several minor local incidents and controversies
2011-2019: 42) Ramon Valadez (D, b. 1967) – Hispanic; former state senator and former County Supervisor; champion civil justice reform; retired; unsuccessfully ran for a U.S. House seat in 2020
2019-present: 43) Steve Farley (D, b. 1962) – former state representative and former state senator; not related to the Farley comedian brothers; incumbent
RALEIGH (North Carolina)
1971-1973: 52) Thomas Wood “Tom” Bradshaw, Jr. (D) – former businessman; retired
1973-1975: 53) Clarence Everett Lightner (D) – city’s first African-American Mayor; elected in the city’s first contest in which the mayor was to be directly elected instead of being selected by the city council; retired to successfully run for a U.S. House seat in 1976
1975-1977: 54) Jyles Jackson Coggins (D) – former real estate developer and former state senator; lost re-election
1977-1979: 55) Isabella McLean Bett Walton Cannon (D) – city’s first female Mayor; former schoolteacher; retired
1979-1983: 56) G. Smedes York (D) – former businessman; retired
1983-1994: 57) Avery C. Upchurch (D) – former city councilperson; died in officer suddenly from cancer
1994-1997: 58) Mary Watson Nooe (D) – city’s second female Mayor; former city councilperson; selected by city council to succeed Upchurch; retired
1997-1999: 59) Venita Peyton (D until 1998, then R) – city’s third female Mayor; former political activist and community organizer; lost re-election
1999-2009: 60) Stephanie Fanjul (D) – city’s fourth female Mayor; former city councilperson; retired
2009-2013: 61) Gregg S. Kuntz (I) – former business executive and entrepreneur; retired
2013-2015: 62) Venita Peyton (R) – former Mayor; lost re-election
2015-present: 63) Charles Francis (D) – former city councilperson; city’s second African-American Mayor; incumbent
HONOLULU
1955-1969: 11) Neal Shaw Blaisdell (R, 1902-1975) – worked with the Johnson and Sanders administrations on military operations and veterans issues during the Cuba War and Indochina Wars; retired
1954: Frank Fasi (D)
1956: unopposed
1960: Frank Fasi (D)
1969-1981: 12) Frank Francis Fasi (D, 1920-2010) – former businessman and entrepreneur; previously served in the territorial senate; built up the city’s public transportation system; popularized the “shaka” hand gesture; was the Democratic nominee for Governor in 1978; lost re-nomination over his flamboyancy and his fiscal policies
1968: Dominis Garrida “D. G.” Anderson (R)
1972: Richard “Ike” Sutton (R)
1976: Kekoa David Kaapu (R)
1981-1985: 13) Marilyn Bornhorst (D, 1927-2020) – city’s first female Mayor; former city councilperson; laid out “forward-thinking” agenda that included new taxes to pay for new services; lost re-election
1980: Theodore W. Gibson (R) and William Leialoha (I)
1985-1993: 14) Frank Francis Fasi (R, 1920-2010) – considered a political “maverick”; oversaw construction of new parks and energy plants; created recreation programs for children and founded city’s annual Winter Lights festival; lost re-election in an upset described as a “generational shift”
1984: Marilyn Bornhorst (D) and Blase Harris (Liberty)
1988: Kekoa David Kaapu (D)
1993-1997: 15) Arnold Morgado Jr. (D, b. 1952) – previously served on the city council from 1985 to 1992; lost re-election in the city’s first blanket primary
1992: Frank Fasi (R), Jack Schweigert (Liberty) and Jim Brewer (Green)
1997-2001: 16) Frank Francis Fasi (I, 1920-2010) – was an Independent candidate for Governor in 1994; oversaw the renovating of the city’s Civic Center and the construction of new office buildings for the city’s departments and growing business sector; lost re-election won conservatives voted for the Democratic nominee in the runoff, as Fasi took a libertarian stand on certain social issues while Hannemman took a more right-leaning stand on them
1996: Arnold Morgado Jr. (D)
2001-2006: 17) Muliufi Francis “Frank” Hannemann (D, b. 1954) – former teacher and businessman; previously served as a state congressperson (1987-1991) and as a city councilperson (1993-2001); 6-foot-7 Mormon of Samoan descent; fiscally and socially moderate; resigned after being elected Governor
2000: Frank Fasi (I)
2004: Marcus Oshiro (D)
2006-2007: Acting) Carol Fukunaga (D, b. 1947) – former lawyer; state Congressperson from 1979 to 1991, candidate for state senate in 1990 and 1992, city councilperson from 1995 to 2006, and city council President from 2003 to 2006; lost election to a full term in an upset
2007-2017: 18) Mark Edmund “Duke” Bainum (D, 1952-2019) – former physician; previously served on the city council from 1995 to 2003; survived a heart attack in 2009; experienced high approval ratings for his handling of the 2013 recession; retired due to declining health
2007 (special): Carol Fukunaga (D), Frank Fasi (I) Lillian Hong (I), Philmund “Phil” Lee (D), Khristina “Kris” De Jean (I), John Carroll (R) and others
2008: Paul F. Fasi (R)
2012: Rod Tam (R)
2017-2021: 19) Keith Amemiya (D, b. 1965) – former business executive; Japanese-American; criticized for his handling of social programs and for fighting with city council over tax reform efforts; lost re-election (finished in third place in the blanket primary)
2016: Kymberly Pine (R) and William “Bud” Stonebraker (R)
2021-present: 20) Donovan M. Dela Cruz (D, b. 1973) – incumbent
2020: Donna Mercado Kim (D)
VIRGINIA BEACH
1988-2001: 23) Meyera E. Oberndorf (D) – city’s first female Mayor; previously served in the city council from 1976 to 1988; resigned to become Governor after being elected to that office in November 2001 and entered the governorship in January 2002, and later drafted into the November 2002 US Senate election after the Democratic nominee withdrew amid a scandal in September 2002
2001-2002: 24) Jody M. Wagner (D) – previously served in the city council from 1995 to 2001; selected by the city council to succeed Oberndorf until a special election was held to select someone to serve the remainder of her term; lost election
2002-2012: 25) John D. “Jack” Moss (R) – previously served in the city council from 1986 to 1995 and in the state senate from 1995 to 2004; resigned to unsuccessfully run for the GOP nomination for a US House seat, after polling suggested he would lose a bid for a third term
2012-2016: 26) John O. Parmele Jr. (I) – lived from 1942 to 2016; previously served on the city council from 1992 to 2000 and again from 2010 to 2012; retired due to declining health and passed away less than a year after leaving office
2016-present: 27) John E. Uhrin (R) – previously served on the city council from 2011 to 2016; re-elected in a surprisingly close race; incumbent
SOUTH BEND
1960-1964: 25) Frank J. Bruggner (D) – lived from 1891 to 1972; succeeded Mayor Edward F. Voorde (1910-1960), who died in office in a car accident; retired
1964-1968: 26) Eugene Pajakowki (D) – Polish-American; significantly restructured South Bend’s city government; lost re-nomination in a bitterly divisive Democratic primary
1968-1976: 27) Janet Allen (R) – conservative; supported businesses and cut taxes; former Common Council member from 1964 to 1968; not related to Lloyd M. Allen; the city’s first female mayor; retired to successfully run for a US House seat in 1976
1976-1980: 28) George E. Herendeen (D) – former city council member; supported local businesses and trade schools; almost lost re-nomination and lost re-election in a landslide due the effects the 1978 Economic “Crash” had on the city; retired
1980-1988: 29) George Williams Jr. (R) – the city’s first African-American mayor; oversaw bond issues and sought to improve the living conditions of the city’s minorities, especially those of predominantly African-American neighborhoods; briefly entered the national spotlight when he severely criticized President Denton in early 1986; retired due to exhaustion and, after losing bids for the U.S. in 1992 and 1994, retired from election politics
1988-1996: 30) Richard D. Jasinki (D) – former city council member; oversaw period of economic development but was criticized for his handling of local recreadrug use rates; retired due to exhaustion
1996-2000: 31) Sylvia Shelton (R) – the city’s second female Mayor; “law and order” centrist; lost re-election amid a rise in incidents between police and Hispanic-American locals
2000-2012: 32) John Voorde (D) – the son of Mayor Edward F. Voorde and the city’s longest-serving Mayor; longest-serving Mayor; retired to unsuccessfully run for a U.S. House seat, losing the Democratic primary in an upset
2012-present: 33) Ryan Michael Dvorak (D) – previously served in the state senate from 2002 to 2012; incumbent; has expressed interest in running for a fourth term
WASHINGTON, D.C.
1962-1967: 1) Edward Bennett Williams (1920-1988, D) – previously was a high-profile defense lawyer; appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson; retired; later served as Treasurer of the Democratic National Committee
1967-1983: 2) Clifford Leopold Alexander, Jr. (b. 1933, D) – city’s first popularly-elected Mayor, first African-American Mayor, and longest-serving Mayor; retired; later moved to New York and briefly ran for President in 1988
1966: Sam Harris (I), Raymond Ellis (I), and Jackson Champion (R)
1970: Nan Bailey (Natural Mind)
1974: Tommy Lynn Grant (I)
1978: Marion Barry (Independent Democratic)
1983-1995: 3) Sterling Tucker (1923-2019, D) – former Chair of the Council of the District of Columbia; lost re-nomination amid waning popularity
1982: Jesse Jackson (Democratic (write-in)), Patricia Roberts Harris (I), and Charlene Drew Jarvis (I)
1986: E. Brooke Lee Jr. (R), Dennis S. Sobin (D.C. Statehood) and Brian P. Moore (I)
1990: Arthur Fletcher (R), Josephine D. Butler (D.C. Statehood) and Brian P. Moore (I)
1995-1999: 4) Walter Edward Fauntroy (b. 1933, D) – former pastor; former delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from 1971 to 1991 and a candidate for Mayor in 1990; criticized for opposing BLUTAGO marriage; lost re-nomination amid claims that his policies were too moderate, unambitious, and inefficient)
1994: Jodean M. Marks (D.C. Statehood) and Faith Dane (I)
1999-2006: 5) Charlene Rosella Drew Jarvis (b. 1941, D) – city’s first female Mayor; became the Governor of Potomac once the Federal District became a state
1998: John L. Ray (D.C. Statehood), Brian P. Moore (I) and Faith Dane (I)
2002: Steve Donkin (D.C. Statehood)
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