Contributor

Mark Mallory

Mayor of Cincinnati, OH

Mayor Mark Mallory was sworn in as the 68th Mayor of Cincinnati December 1, 2005 and was re-elected in 2009. His election marked a new era for City Hall as the first two-term Mayor under the City's new Stronger-Mayor system, the first directly-elected black Mayor, and the first Mayor in over 70 years who did not come from City Council.

Mayor Mallory has championed the renaissance that is taking place throughout Cincinnati. His vision of a modern city that competes nationally and internationally for businesses, investment, and residents is rallying the community to produce major change. Mayor Mallory's leadership has pushed Cincinnati to pursue bold projects to transform the city and creative strategies to tackle large challenges.

Leading the City through one of the most difficult economic periods, Mayor Mallory has balanced the City budget while avoiding layoffs to police officers and firefighters, or significant reductions in City services. Under Mayor Mallory's leadership, the City of Cincinnati has been moving forward with several major developments and attracting new business investment.

Mayor Mallory's top priority is public safety, and his core initiative is the international award winning, Cincinnati Initiative to Reduce Crime or CIRV, which has become a model to other police departments around the country. CIRV uses statistical analysis to identify and map criminal networks for increased law enforcement, community, and social service attention. The collaborative approach has become the driving philosophy of the entire police department.

In his first year in office, Mayor Mallory commissioned the GO Cincinnati economic development strategy to guide the City’s efforts to create jobs and grow the local economy. GO Cincinnati has helped the City attract several new businesses such as Medpace, Eurostampa, and Rockfish as well as retain and grow existing businesses like P&G, Macy's, Graeter's, Humana, US Bank, FirstGroup, dunnhumby, Kendle, Burke, Inc., and Cincinnati Children's. Cincinnati's aggressive efforts to attract business investment and expansion have helped the city continue to grow despite the national economic landscape.

Mayor Mallory has been a strong proponent of the continued redevelopment in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. Led by the non-profit development corporation, 3CDC, dozens of buildings have been redeveloped into hundreds of condos and apartments in the historic neighborhood.

As part of his vision for bold projects that will transform the city, Mayor Mallory has championed the construction of a modern streetcar that would connect the city's two largest employment centers, Downtown and the university and hospital area known as Uptown. The Streetcar project will spark development, job creation and growth in the urban core, and help attract and retain young, talented individuals.

Under the Mayor’s leadership, Cincinnati has made major increases in the city's ability to attract conventions and meetings. 2010 was the sixth straight year of growth, up 33% since 2005. With the Mayor’s help the region has attracted high profile conventions like the NAACP, the National Baptists, the largest Hispanic organization in the country: LULAC, the Fraternal Order of Police, the International Association of Firefighters, the Urban League, the American Legion, and the city’s largest meeting ever, the 2012 World Choir Games, projected to draw 200,000 spectators and have an economic impact of $73.5 million dollars on the region.

Mayor Mallory has brought national attention to Cincinnati by appearing on shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live, ESPN's First Take, Inside Edition, and The Whoopi Goldberg Radio Show. In 2011, Mayor Mallory was featured on CBS's hit show, Undercover Boss. He was the first non-corporate CEO featured on the show.

Mayor Mallory began his career in public service as a book shelver at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. He worked there 14 years at a variety of positions, rising climbing to Manager of Graphic Production and Assistant to the head of public relations. In 1994, he succeeded his father, Majority Floor Leader William L. Mallory, Sr., in the Ohio House of Representatives. Four years later, he moved to the Ohio Senate where he rose to the position of Assistant Minority Leader.

He has won dozens of awards during his decades of public service, including Public Official of the Year from the Children’s Hunger Alliance, the Regional Sustainable Leader of the Year from the US Green Building Council, and the Champion’s Award from the Cincinnati USA Convention and Visitor’s Bureau for his success at attracting convention business to Cincinnati.

The Mayor's entire family is dedicated to public service and he is extremely proud to serve the citizens of the City of Cincinnati.

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