Dick Doran

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Dick Doran (1935-2007) served as a legislative assistant to Philadelphia Congressman William J. Green, as executive director of the Philadelphia Democratic County Executive Committee, as Chief of Staff to Governor Milton J. Shapp, as President of the Greater Philadelphia First Corporation, as Philadelphia City Representative and Director of Commerce, and as Vice-President of Independence Blue Cross.

A leader in the world of Philadelphia cultural institutions, he was Vice-President of the Board of the Curtis Institute of Music, a member of the Board of the Opera Company of Philadelphia, and an advisor to the Philadelphia Art Museum and the Philadelphia Orchestra. He served as a "life teacher" and devoted friend to young Philadelphia pianist Lang Lang.

He was the author of an extensive personal diary for the years 2000-2002 entitled Suddenly Sixty-Five. He was the author of a political novel--he called it a fable--about the corruption caused by large campaign contributions, lobbyists, and pollsters entitled It Takes A Villain.

His close friend, former Congressman and Mayor William J. Green, euologized him as "Thomas Jefferson without the contradictions" and said of his cultural leadership "he gave and he gave and he gave until he just couldn't give any more."