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Norm Rice | |
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| 49thMayor of Seattle | |
| In office January 1, 1990 – January 1, 1998 | |
| Preceded by | Charles Royer |
| Succeeded by | Paul Schell |
| 53rd President of theUnited States Conference of Mayors | |
| In office 1995–1996 | |
| Preceded by | Victor Ashe |
| Succeeded by | Richard Daley |
| President of theSeattle City Council | |
| In office January 3, 1984 – January 3, 1986 | |
| Preceded by | Jeanette Williams |
| Succeeded by | Sam Smith |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Norman Blann Rice (1943-05-04)May 4, 1943 (age 81) Denver,Colorado, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Constance Williams |
| Education | University of Washington, Seattle (BA,MPA) |
Norman Blann Rice (born May 4, 1943) is an American politician who served as the49th mayor ofSeattle, Washington, serving two terms from 1990 to 1997. Rice wasSeattle's first electedAfrican-American mayor.
Rice graduated from theUniversity of Washington inSeattle, earning a bachelor's degree in communications and aMaster of Public Administration from the university'sDaniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs. He became a member ofAlpha Phi Alpha fraternity. In 1975, he marriedDr. Constance Williams.
Before entering city government, Rice worked as a reporter at KOMO-TV News and KIXI radio. He served as Assistant Director of the SeattleUrban League. He next worked as Executive Assistant and Director of Government Services for the Puget SoundCouncil of Governments.
Rice was first elected to theSeattle City Council in 1978 to fill a vacancy. He was reelected in 1979, 1983 and 1987, serving eleven years in all. He served as chairs of the Energy, Finance, and Budget committees, and was Council President for one term. Rice facilitated the development of more equitable cost allocation and rate design procedures forSeattle City Light as part of his work on the Energy Committee.
His accomplishments on the Finance and Budget Committee included the passage of the Women and Minority Business Enterprise Ordinance, and from 1982 to 1987, the elimination of City investments in firms doing business in apartheid-eraSouth Africa.[1]
He ran for mayor in 1985, but lost toCharles Royer. Rice ran again in 1989 in a crowded field and won 99,699 to 75,446. He was re-elected in 1993.
During the technology boom of the 1990s, Rice led the rejuvenation of Seattle's downtown.[2] He also served as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.[2]
In 1995, Rice served as a committee member for theRudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence.[3]
In 1996, Rice ran in the Democratic primary for Governor of Washington, but he was defeated by then-King County ExecutiveGary Locke.
In 1997, Rice made a guest appearance as himself on an episode ofFrasier, entitled "The 1000th Show."
Rice was CEO and then president of theFederal Home Loan Bank ofSeattle from 1998 to 2004.[4]
In June 2009, Rice was named CEO of the non-profit Seattle Foundation,[2] serving in that post until December, 2013.[5] In December 2010, he was nominated as one of 30 members for a two-year appointment in theWhite House Council for Community Solutions, created by Executive Order of PresidentBarack Obama.[6]
In 2011, Rice was serving a three-year term as a Distinguished Practitioner-in-Residence at theUniversity of Washington’sDaniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs and lead the project Civic Engagement in the 21st Century.[2]
Rice has been awarded honorary degrees byCornish College of the Arts,Seattle University, theUniversity of Puget Sound, andWhitman College.
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Mayor of Seattle 1990–1997 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
