Thomas Richards (mayor)

Thomas S. Richards (born July 8, 1943) is an American lawyer, business executive and politician.

From 1972 until 1991 Richards worked in the law firm Nixon, Hargrave, Devans & Doyle (now Nixon Peabody) where he specialized in civil litigation and served at various times as the managing partner and chairman of the management committee. In 1991 he joined Rochester Gas & Electric Corp. as general counsel. He later served as senior vice president for corporate services, senior vice president for finance and as president and chief operating officer. From 1998 until 2002 he was the chairman, president and chief executive officer of RGS Energy Group, the parent company of Rochester Gas & Electric. From 2006 to 2010 he was the corporation counsel of the City of Rochester. On October 28, 2010, he was appointed Deputy Mayor of the City of Rochester^[1][2] and inaugurated interim Mayor on January 1, 2011.^[3][4] On January 18, 2011, Richards resigned to ensure he could run in a special election without violating terms of the Hatch Act, which could have jeopardized federal funding.^[5][6]

On February 5, 2011, Richards was officially nominated by the Democratic committee of Rochester to be the party's candidate in the special mayoral election scheduled for March 29. Richards won the election with 48.48% of the vote to former Mayor Bill Johnson's 41.72%. ^[7]

Richards is a graduate of Bucknell University and Cornell University Law School, and served in the U.S. Navy.

Richards is a trustee of the University of Rochester and of George Eastman House.

References

1. ^ Thomas Richards to step in as Rochester’s deputy mayor
2. ^ democratandchronicle October 28, 2010
3. ^ Thomas S. Richards sworn in as Mayor of Rochester
4. ^ Rochester's new mayor meets the press
5. ^ Thomas Richards resigns as Rochester mayor; Carlos Carballada to take his place
6. ^ Richards resigns mayor's post; Carballada tapped as acting mayor
7. ^ 2011 Special Mayoral Certification - Monroe County Board of Elections

External links

• Thomas Richards on the City of Rochester webpage