Rendell, Edward G. (Edward Gene), 1944-

<p>Edward Gene Rendell (/rɛnˈdɛl/; born January 5, 1944) is an American lawyer, prosecutor, politician, and author. He served as the 45th Governor of Pennsylvania from 2003 to 2011, as chair of the national Democratic Party, and as the Mayor of Philadelphia from 1992 to 2000.</p>

<p>Born in New York City to a Jewish family from Russia, Rendell moved to Philadelphia for college, completing his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and J.D. from Villanova University School of Law. He was elected District Attorney of Philadelphia for two terms from 1978 to 1986. He developed a reputation for being tough on crime, fueling a run for Governor of Pennsylvania in 1986, which Rendell lost in the primary.</p>

<p>Elected Mayor of Philadelphia in 1991, he inherited a $250 million deficit and the lowest credit rating of any major city in the country. As mayor, he balanced Philadelphia's budget and generated a budget surplus while cutting business and wage taxes and dramatically improving services to Philadelphia neighborhoods. The New York Times stated that Philadelphia under Rendell "has made one of the most stunning turnarounds in recent urban history." Nicknamed "America's Mayor" by Al Gore, Rendell served as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee during the 2000 presidential election.</p>

<p>In 2002, Rendell was elected Governor of Pennsylvania. He was a member of the Democratic Governors Association Executive Committee and served as the Chairman of the National Governors Association. He was reelected in a landslide in 2006. He left office in 2011 due to term limits, and released a book, A Nation of Wusses: How America's Leaders Lost the Guts to Make Us Great the following year. A Philadelphia Eagles fan, Rendell is also a football analyst on NBC Sports Philadelphia's Eagles Postgame Live, hosted by Michael Barkann.</p>

<p>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, he served as mayor of Philadelphia. Under his leadership, the city won the hosting of the Republican National Convention in 2000, and Rendell served as the general chair of the Democratic National Committee the same year.</p>

<p>Rendell was elected Pennsylvania governor in 2002 and reelected in 2006, and served as chair of the National Governors Association in 2008-09. Among Rendell’s accomplishments as governor were adoption of a prescription drug plan for senior citizens and an overhaul of management policies that resulted in increased women- and minority-owned business involvement and significant procurement savings. Rendell was also successful in securing passage of legislation to legalize and tax slot machine parlors, with revenues being used to help reduce property taxes.</p>

<p>After 34 years of public service, including 24 years as an elected official, Governor Rendell continues to pursue many of the same issues he was passionate about while serving. His commitment to making America a cleaner, more efficient place and to fostering investment in our nation’s crumbling infrastructure is as strong as it has ever been. Rendell has become a champion for progress in the area of alternative energy, and now serves as a consultant or board member for several green and alternative energy firms, including Own Energy, The Efficiency Network and VNG.co. He has also remained heavily involved in the campaign for government efficiency and strategic cost cutting through his work with entities such as Government Sourcing Solutions and Public Financial Management.</p>

<p>Perhaps no other issue has been and continues to be as important to Governor Rendell as America’s dire need to rebuild and reinvest in its infrastructure. As Governor, Rendell worked with Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to create an organization called “Building America’s Future.” The organization focuses on the need for a more significant investment in American infrastructure projects to ensure that America maintains its place as a global economic power. Governor Rendell currently serves as Co-Chair of the organization, along with Mike Bloomberg and former U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, and travels throughout the country speaking about this issue.</p>

<p>In 2012, Governor Rendell penned his first book, A Nation of Wusses: How America’s Leaders Lost the Guts to Make Us Great. In A Nation of Wusses, Rendell chronicles his storied political career with his trademark candor while making a strong statement about the state of American leadership.</p>