Our Leadership

Francis X. Suarez
Mayor of Miami
President

Hillary Schieve
Mayor of Reno
Vice President

Andrew J. Ginther
Mayor of Columbus, OH
Second Vice President

Tom Cochran
CEO and Executive Director
Past Presidents
Trustees
Advisory Board
- Chris Barnett, Charter Township of Orion, MI
- Justin Bibb, Cleveland, OH
- Muriel Bowser, Washington, DC
- Luke Bronin, Hartford, CT
- Sharon Weston Broome, Baton Rouge, LA
- Paige G. Cognetti, Scranton, PA
- Buddy Dyer, Orlando, FL
- Jerry Dyer, Fresno, CA
- Kate Gallego, Phoenix, AZ
- Joe Ganim, Bridgeport, CT
- Leirion Gaylor Baird, Lincoln, NE
- Carolyn G. Goodman, Las Vegas, NV
- Gerard Hudspeth, Denton, TX
- Eric Johnson, Dallas, TX
- Tim Keller, Albuquerque, NM
- Lily Mei, Fremont, CA
- Jon Mitchell, New Bedford, MA
- Kenneth D. Miyagishima, Las Cruces, NM
- Christina Muryn, Findlay, OH
- Ron Nirenberg, San Antonio, TX
- Frank C. Ortis, Pembroke Pines, FL
- Aftab Pureval, Cincinnati, OH
- Steven Reed, Montgomery, AL
- Scott Singer, Boca Raton, FL
- Levar Stoney, Richmond, VA
- Brian C. Wahler, Piscataway, NJ
- Steve Williams, Huntington, WV
- Victoria Woodards, Tacoma, WA
How Does Leadership Work?
There are a number of leadership opportunities for mayors within our organization, from committee and task force chairs to elected offices.
Each spring, a Nominating Committee is assembled by the President of the Conference. The Nominating Committee’s primary responsibility is to recommend specific mayors to serve as top officers, Trustees, and Advisory Board members.
To ensure bipartisan leadership, the standard practice dictates that a minimum of one of the top three officers (President, Vice President, and Second Vice President) must be a member of the minority political party within the United States Conference of Mayors.
Mayors seeking election to any of the open positions are asked to write a formal letter to the members of the Nominating Committee and to provide a copy of the letter to the CEO and Executive Director. The letter should formally state the desired position being sought, and the reasons and qualifications for seeking such office.
The actions taken by the Nominating Committee are recommendations to the delegates gathered at the Annual Meeting. The Nominating Committee report is considered and voted upon by the full membership of the United States Conference of Mayors gathered for the “Business Session” of the Annual Meeting.
Additional rules and details about this process can be found in the organization’s membership handbook.
Past Presidents
- Nan Whaley, Dayton (2021-22) (79th)
- Greg Fischer, Louisville (2020-21) (78th)
- Bryan K. Barnett, Rochester Hills (2019-20) (77th) *
- Steve Benjamin, Columbia, SC (2018-19) (76th)
- Mitchell J. Landrieu, New Orleans (2017-18) (75th)
- Mick Cornett, Oklahoma City (2016-17) (74th)
- Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Baltimore (2015-16) (73rd)
- Kevin Johnson, Sacramento (2014-15) (72nd)
- Scott Smith, Mesa (2013-14) (71st)
- Michael A. Nutter, Philadelphia (2012-13) (70th)
- Antonio R. Villaraigosa, Los Angeles (2011-12) (69th)
- Elizabeth B. Kautz, Burnsville (2009-11) (68th) *
- Greg Nickels, Seattle (2009) (67th)
- Manuel A. “Manny” Diaz, Miami (2008-09) (66th)
- Douglas H. Palmer, Trenton (2006-08) (65th)
- Michael A. Guido, Dearborn (2006) (64th)
- Beverly O’Neill, Long Beach (2005-06) (63rd)
- Donald L. Plusquellic, Akron (2004-05) (62nd)
- James A. Garner, Hempstead (2003-04) (61st)
- Thomas M. Menino, Boston (2002-03) (60th)
- Marc H. Morial, New Orleans (2001-02) (59th)
- H. Brent Coles, Boise (2000-01) (58th)
- Wellington E. Webb, Denver (1999-00) (57th)
- Deedee Corradini, Salt Lake City (1998-99) (56th)
- Paul Helmke, Fort Wayne (1997-98) (55th)
- Richard M. Daley, Chicago (1996-97) (54th)
- Norman B. Rice, Seattle (1995-96) (53rd)
- Victor Ashe, Knoxville (1994-95) (52nd)
- Jerry Abramson, Louisville (1993-94) (51st)
- William J. Althaus, York (1992-93) (50th)
- Raymond L. Flynn, Boston (1991-92) (49th)
- Robert M. Isaac, Colorado Springs (1990-91) (48th)
- Kathryn J. Whitmire, Houston (1989-90) (47th)
- Arthur J. Holland, Trenton (1988-89) (46th)
- Richard L. Berkley, Kansas City (MO) (1987-88) (45th)
- Joseph P. Riley, Jr., Charleston (1986-87) (44th)
- Ernest N. Morial, New Orleans (1985-86) (43rd)
- Hernan Padilla, San Juan (1984-85) (42nd)
- Richard H. Fulton, Nashville (1983-84) (41st)
- Coleman A. Young, Detroit (1982-83) (40th)
- Helen G. Boosalis, Lincoln (1981-82) (39th)
- Richard G. Hatcher, Gary (1980-81) (38th)
- Richard E. Carver, Peoria (1979-80) (37th)
- William H. McNichols, Jr., Denver (1978-79) (36th)
- Lee Alexander, Syracuse (1977-78) (35th)
- Kenneth A. Gibson, Newark (1976-77) (34th)
- Moon Landrieu, New Orleans (1975-76) (33rd)
- Joseph L. Alioto, San Francisco (1974-75) (32nd)
- Roy B. Martin, Jr., Norfolk (1973-74) (31st)
- Louie Welch, Houston (1972-73) (30th)
- Henry W. Maier, Milwaukee (1971-72) (29th)
- James H.J. Tate, Philadelphia (1970-71) (28th)
- Jack D. Maltester, San Leandro (1969-70) (27th)
- Terry D. Schrunk, Portland, OR (1968-69) (26th)
- Joseph M. Barr, Pittsburgh (1967-68) (25th)
- Jerome P. Cavanaugh, Detroit (1966-67) (24th)
- Neal S. Blaisdell, Honolulu (1965-66) (23rd)
- Raymond R. Tucker, St. Louis (1963-65) (22nd)
- Arthur L. Selland, Fresno (1963) (21st)
- Richard C. Lee, New Haven (1962-63) (20th)
- Anthony J. Celebreeze, Cleveland (1962) (19th)
- Haydon Burns, Jacksonville (1961-62) (18th)
- Richardson Dilworth, Philadelphia (1960-61) (17th)
- Richard J. Daley, Chicago (1959-60) (16th)
- Norris Poulson, Los Angeles (1958-59) (15th)
- Robert F. Wagner, New York (1957-58) (14th)
- John B. Hynes, Boston (1955-57) (13th)
- Elmer E. Robinson, San Francisco (1953-55) (12th)
- Thomas A. Burke, Cleveland (1953) (11th)
- Martin H. Kennelly, Chicago (1952-53) (10th)
- David L. Lawrence, Pittsburgh (1950-52) (9th)
- W. Cooper Green, Birmingham (1949-50) (8th)
- George W. Welsh, Grand Rapids (1947-49) (7th)
- Edward J. Kelly, Chicago (1945-47) (6th)
- Fiorello H. Laguardia, New York (1935-45) (5th)
- Daniel W. Hoan, Milwaukee (1934-35) (4th)
- T. Semmes Walmsley, New Orleans (1933-34) (3rd)
- James M. Curley, Boston (1933) (2nd)
- Frank Murphy, Detroit (1933) (1st)
* Denotes a past president currently serving as mayor.