Ed Somers
September 20, 2010

Making national and international news, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley announced September 7 that he will not seek a seventh term in office. First elected mayor in April 1989, Daley's tenure will end on May 16, 2011.

Daley has been extremely active within The U.S. Conference of Mayors since his first days in office. He hosted two Annual Conferences (1990 and 2005), and secured the 81st Annual Conference of Mayors, which will be held in Chicago in June of 2013.

As had his father Richard J. Daley, Richard M. Daley served as Conference of Mayors President from 1996-1997.

As the 54th USCM President, Daley focused on crime and drug control, job creation, reducing inflexible and unfunded federal mandates, brownfields redevelopment, and of course mayoral leadership in the improvement of public schools.

Without question, the leadership provided by Daley in promoting the role of mayors in public education defined a new agenda for the Conference of Mayors, and indeed the nation.

Upon leaving office as USCM President in June of 1997, Daley said, "All across the nation - families from all racial groups and financial backgrounds are leaving cities because they have lost faith in urban public education. Improving schools is the only way to make a lasting change in this country. It is the only way to lift people out of poverty - to cut down on crime - and to create a stronger economy."