Gradison, Willis D. (Willis David), 1928-

Willis David Gradison Jr. (born December 28, 1928) is an American investment broker, politician, and health care executive. A member of the Republican Party, he notably served as Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio in 1971 and as a U.S. Representative from Ohio's 1st (1975-1983) and 2nd (1983-1993) congressional districts. He was the first Jewish Representative elected to the U.S. Congress from the State of Ohio.

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, he attended the elementary and secondary schools there before earning a B.A. from Yale University, an M.B.A. from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration, and a D.C.S. from Harvard University. Gradison worked as a lawyer and investment broker as well as assistant to the Under Secretary of the United States Treasury from 1953 to 1955 and as assistant to the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare from 1955 to 1957. From 1961 to 1974, he served on the Cincinnati city council; in 1971, Gradison served as mayor. After narrowly losing the March 1974 special election for Ohio's 1st congressional district seat, he won the 1st district seat that November, serving the first of ten terms. He was redistricted to the 2nd district in 1983.

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