Patrick McCrory

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Patrick McCrory (born October 17, 1956) is an American politician and is currently the mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina. He is a member of the Republican Party.

McCrory was born in Ohio but grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina and attended Ragsdale High School where he was President of the student body. McCrory graduated from Catawba College in 1978 with a B.A. degree in Political Science/Education and in 2001 Catawba awarded McCrory with an Honorary Doctorate Degree. After graduation, McCrory was with Duke Energy Corporation in various management positions.

McCrory began his political career in Charlotte in 1989 when he was elected as an At-Large City Councilman. Some of the issues he focused on early in his career included public safety. He was re-elected in 1991 and 1993, served as Mayor pro tem in 1993, and was elected as the city's mayor in 1995.

McCrory has had success in the areas of public safety, economic development, housing and transportation. He has also been a proponent of public transportantion. He has been nationally recognized for his leadership in developing Charlotte’s 25-year transportation and land-use plan.

McCrory is involved in many national organizations, including: President of the Republican Mayors and Local Officials (RMLO) organization; chairman of the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) Committee for Housing and Community Development; the past six-term Chair of the USCM Environmental Committee; and founder and inaugural Chairman of the North Carolina Metropolitan Coalition. McCrory is also the only elected official to serve on the national board of the Afterschool Alliance and is a featured Mayor in Harvard University’s Faith-based Executive Session. Since September 2001, McCrory has been heavily involved with homeland security efforts. He is also head of the US Conference of Mayors environmental committee. Possible future political options likely inlcude NC govenor. The US House of Representaives is not an option for him since Sue Myrick, a Republican currently holds that seat.

In 2003, McCrory was the recipient of the national Homeownership Hero Award recognizing his innovative work in leading Charlotte to have one of the highest homeownership rates in the country.

McCrory is involved in many local charity boards. He serves as the honorary chair for the Charlotte chapter of the Alzheimer Foundation and the Arthritis Foundation.

In December of 2001, Mayor McCrory joined Stan Brookshire and John Belk, Sr. to become only the third mayor in Charlotte history to serve a fourth (two-year) term. He was elected to a fifth term in 2003 and to a sixth in 2005. McCrory has enjoyed a wide margin of victory in all six of his elections for Mayor.

Preceded by: Richard Vinroot (R)

Mayor of Charlotte, NC 1995 -

Succeeded by: incumbent