Rip Rapson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Richard Rapson March 16, 1952 Bonn, Germany |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Pomona College (BA) Columbia University (JD) |
| Title | CEO of Kresge Foundation |
| Term | 2006–present |
| Spouse |
Gail Johnson (m. 1989) |
| Children | 2 |
| Father | Ralph Rapson |
| Deputy mayor of Minneapolis | |
| In office April 15, 1989 – 1993 | |
| Preceded by | Jan Hively |
Richard "Rip" Rapson (born March 16, 1952) is an American attorney and philanthropist serving as CEO of the Kresge Foundation. He began his career as a congressional aide to Donald M. Fraser during Fraser's last two terms in the United States House of Representatives. After attending Columbia Law School, Rapson joined the law firm of Leonard, Street & Deinard to practice law while also serving on the board of several organizations. In 1989, Fraser, who had become mayor of Minneapolis, appointed Rapson as his deputy mayor and, in 1993, Rapson unsuccessfully ran for mayor to succeed Fraser.
After leaving the Minneapolis City Hall, Rapson became a fellow at the University of Minnesota and then was appointed president of the McKnight Foundation in Minneapolis. In 2006, he moved to the Detroit area to become CEO of the Kresge Foundation. He has led the foundation in a number of philanthropic endeavors to revitalize and rescue Detroit from bankruptcy.