Ed Rendell

EDWARD G. RENDELL was born in New York City on January 5, 1944. After serving in the U.S. Army, he earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1965 and a law degree from Villanova Law School in 1968. Rendell was elected to two terms as district attorney for Philadelphia from 1978 to 1985. From 1992 through 1999, Rendell served as mayor of Philadelphia. Among his many accomplishments as mayor, he eliminated a $250-million deficit, balanced the city's budget, and generated five straight budget surpluses. He also reduced business and income taxes for four consecutive years, implemented new revenue-generating initiatives, and dramatically improved services to the city's neighborhoods. During his tenure, Philadelphia saw the end of a six-year job loss trend, and enjoyed six consecutive years of job gains. The city became nationally and internationally recognized for its enhanced historical tourist attractions, a thriving downtown, and a booming convention center, and under his leadership won the hosting of the 2000 Republican National Convention. Rendell served as the general chair of the Democratic National Committee during the 2000 presidential election. He also was a partner at Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP, and taught two government and politics courses at the University of Pennsylvania. Rendell became governor in 2003, but remains active in the community through membership on a variety of boards.