Rick Mystrom
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Rick Mystrom is a Republican politician and businessman in Anchorage, Alaska. He was Mayor of Anchorage from 1994-2000.
Mystrom was born in Minnesota and came to Alaska in 1972.
In 1975, he established Mystrom/Beck advertising. In 1982, he received the Small Business Person of the Year Award from President Ronald Reagan. [1] In 1990, he sold his advertising business, which was later merged into the Nerland Agency.
Mystrom was elected to the Anchorage Assembly in 1979, serving until 1985. In 1994, he defeated Democrat Mark Begich to succeed Tom Fink as Mayor of Anchorage. In 1997, he withstood a challenge from former Mayor and fellow Republican Fink. Mystrom was widely considered the more moderate of the two Republican candidate.
In office, Mystrom emphasized crime-reduction and championed the "City of Lights" beautification program, encouraging residents and employers to ornament their homes and businesses with decorative lights during Anchorage's dark winter.
In 2003, he challenged incumbent Republican mayor George Wuerch in a three-way race. Begich, who had usuccessfully faced Wuerch in 2000, was elected.
Mystrom is a long-time advocate of bringing the Winter Olympics to Anchorage, and has chaired several committees to that end.
He has two sons, Nick and Richard, and a daughter, Jennifer, with his wife, Mary.
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| Preceded by: Tom Fink |
Mayor of Anchorage 1994–2000 |
Succeeded by: George Wuerch |
