H. Richter Elser

Richter Elser has spent more than half of his busy and productive life in New Haven. He has coached crew at Yale University, opened a micro-brewery and owned and operated two successful restaurants - Richter's and The Tibwin Grill. Richter Elser was born January 6, 1959 in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. He grew up outside Philadelphia and graduated from The Hill School in Pottstown, PA in 1977. He arrived in New Haven in the fall of that year as a freshman at Yale. After graduating from the University in 1981, he chose to make the city his home and has lived here for the last 24 years. Richter serves on the city Zoning Board of Appeals. He is one of the original commissioners of the New Haven Town Green Special Services District and has served on the New Haven Humane Commission. An avid cyclist, Richter participated in bicycle events throughout America that have raised over $100 million in the fight against AIDS. He has served on the board of AIDS Project New Haven and has helped organize national AIDS fundraising events. His personal and professional vitality is a good match for all that he has found in his chosen hometown. When he arrived in New Haven in 1977, as a freshman at Yale, New Haven was a far cry from the revitalized city it is today.