Jerry Abramson
Jerry Abramson | |
---|---|
President of the United States Conference of Mayors | |
In office 1993–1994 | |
Preceded by | William Althaus |
Succeeded by | Victor Ashe |
Mayor of Louisville | |
In office January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2011 | |
Preceded by | David Armstrong |
Succeeded by | Greg Fischer |
In office January 1, 1986 – January 1, 1999 | |
Preceded by | Harvey Sloane |
Succeeded by | David Armstrong |
Personal details | |
Born | Jerry Edwin Abramson September 12, 1946 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Madeline |
Education | Indiana University, Bloomington (BS) Georgetown University (JD) |
Jerry Edwin Abramson (born September 12, 1946) is an American
Abramson previously served as the mayor of Louisville for an unprecedented two decades. He was the only three-term mayor of the old city of Louisville (1986–1999) and subsequently served two terms as the first mayor of the consolidated city-county of Louisville Metro (2003–2011).
Abramson's long period of service to Louisville as its mayor, as well as the weak opposition he faced in mayoral elections, led to the local nickname of "Mayor for life", a title frequently used by Louisville's own popular radio personality Terry Meiners. Abramson's popularity resulted in Bluegrass Poll approval ratings ranging from a 91 percent high in 1990 to a 73 percent low in 1994.[3]
From 1993 to 1994, he was President of the
At the conclusion of Obama's second term, Abramson returned to Louisville to serve as Executive-in-Residence at Bellarmine University.[5] He had previously served in the same post in 2011.[6] He departed Bellarmine University in 2018 and is currently serving as Executive-in-Residence at Spalding University.
Early life
Abramson grew up in the Louisville suburb of Strathmoor Village, Kentucky.[7] Before serving as a mayor of Louisville, he worked at Abramson's Market at 738 South Preston Street[7] in Louisville's Smoketown neighborhood, then owned by his father Roy and founded by his grandparents. He graduated from Seneca High School and served for two years in the Army, but did not see combat.
While a student at
Abramson practiced law with Greenebaum Doll & McDonald, PLLC. Before his first run for mayor, Abramson also served as alderman for two terms and as
Mayor of Louisville
In the 1985
Abramson normally would have left office in 1998. However, his original third term was extended by one year as part of a state-mandated transition to align the dates of local and federal elections.
Subsequent to his first tenure as mayor, Abramson practiced law with the Frost Brown Todd firm and taught at Bellarmine University.[8]
Mayor of Louisville Metro
After the merger of Louisville and Jefferson County was approved, the previous term limits no longer applied. Abramson was easily elected the first Mayor of Louisville Metro in 2002 by 73.4 percent of the vote over Republican challenger Jack Early, former mayor of Hurstbourne, Kentucky, a major suburb of Louisville.[9]
One of Abramson's first actions as Metro Mayor was to appoint
Abramson was re-elected mayor in November 2006; his opponents were Republican Metro Council member Kelly Downard[11] and Independent Ed Springston.
Abramson is the first person of Jewish faith to have served as mayor of Louisville. He lives in the Crescent Hill neighborhood with his wife, Madeline.[7]
Kentucky Monthly magazine's readers voted Abramson "Kentucky's Best" civic figure five times (2002–2006).
Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky
On July 19, 2009,
The Beshear-Abramson ticket won in a landslide against Senate President David Williams and his running mate Richie Farmer. Abramson took office as the 55th Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky on December 13, 2011. His political future had been a subject of considerable speculation, but in an August 2013 speech before the Elizabethtown Rotary Club, he announced that he would not run for governor in 2015, saying,[13]
I would like to in the next chapter of my life focus on one thing I really believe will make a significant difference in the development of Kentucky. And that focus is on education.
Resignation as Lt. Governor and Presidential Appointment
On November 6, 2014, Abramson announced that he had been appointed by President Barack Obama to the position of Deputy Assistant to the President and White House Director of Intergovernmental Affairs.[14] Abramson also informed Gov. Beshear of his intention to resign as Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky effective November 13, 2014, at 5:00 pm.[15] Gov. Beshear also announced on November 6 his appointment of former State Auditor Crit Luallen to serve out the remainder of Abramson's term.[15]
Return to Bellarmine University
In early 2017, upon Obama's exit from the White House, Abramson rejoined the faculty of Bellarmine University as its Executive-in-Residence.
Move to Spalding University in 2018
In late 2018, Abramson left Bellarmine to join Spalding University in Louisville as its Executive-in-Residence. At Spalding, the university named a lecture series after Abramson in early 2019. "The Abramson Leadership Exchange" was a partnership with Ignite Louisville and Young Professionals Association of Louisville, with the former Mayor chairing the events, the Abramson Leadership Exchange brought the university's Ed.D. students, alumni, and community leaders together for panel discussions on cutting-edge topics related to public affairs, government, media, and business.[16]
Appointed University of Louisville Trustee on July 29, 2021
Jerry Abramson was appointed by Governor Andy Beshear to serve on the University of Louisville board of trustees, replacing Matthew Barzun who vacated that position on August 2, 2021.[17][18] Abramson's term expires on 13 January 2027.[19]
See also
- Government of Louisville, Kentucky
- Louisville Metro Council
- Louisville mayoral election, 2010
References
- Kentucky Kernel. Archived from the originalon July 23, 2012. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
- The Courier-Journal. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
- Courier-Journal. pp. 1A.
- ^ "Mayors Against Illegal Guns: Coalition Members". Archived from the original on 2008-01-18. Retrieved June 12, 2007.
- ^ "Jerry Abramson to Join Bellarmine Faculty". Retrieved February 23, 2017.
- ^ "Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson Joins Bellarmine University as Executive-in-Residence in 2011". Retrieved January 7, 2010.
- ^ The Courier-Journal. p. 1A.
- The Courier-Journal.
- The Courier-Journal.
- The Courier-Journal.
- The Courier-Journal.
- The Courier-Journal. Archived from the originalon February 1, 2013. Retrieved 2009-07-20.
- ^ Brammer, Jack (August 6, 2013). "Lt. Gov. Abramson says he won't seek Kentucky governor's office in 2015". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
- ^ "Abramson+Resignation+Letter" (PDF). 2014-11-06. Retrieved 2019-07-23.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b WKYT. "Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson resigns; Governor appoints successor". Archived from the original on 2014-11-06. Retrieved 2014-11-06.
- ^ McIntyre, Kevin (2018-04-17). "Jerry Abramson to serve as Executive in Residence at Spalding". Spalding University. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
- ^ www.bizjournals.com https://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/news/2021/08/02/jerry-abramson-uofl-trustee.html. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
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(help) - ^ "Gov. Beshear Makes Appointments to Kentucky Boards and Commissions". www.kentucky.gov. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
- ^ "Trustees — Office of the President". louisville.edu. Retrieved 2023-04-18.