Jerry Abramson

Jerry Abramson
Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
In office
November 17, 2014 – January 20, 2017
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byDavid Agnew
Succeeded byJustin Clark
55th Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky
In office
December 13, 2011 – November 13, 2014
GovernorSteve Beshear
Preceded byDaniel Mongiardo
Succeeded byCrit Luallen
51st President of the United States Conference of Mayors
In office
1993–1994
Preceded byWilliam Althaus
Succeeded byVictor Ashe
Mayor of Louisville
In office
January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2011
Preceded byDavid Armstrong
Succeeded byGreg Fischer
In office
January 1, 1986 – January 1, 1999
Preceded byHarvey Sloane
Succeeded byDavid Armstrong
Personal details
Born
Jerry Edwin Abramson

(1946-09-12) September 12, 1946 (age 78)
Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMadeline
EducationIndiana University, Bloomington (BS)
Georgetown University (JD)

Jerry Edwin Abramson (born September 12, 1946) is an American Democratic politician who was the 55th lieutenant governor of Kentucky.[1] On November 6, 2014, Governor Steve Beshear announced that Abramson would step down from his position as lieutenant governor to accept the job of Director of Intergovernmental Affairs in the Obama White House. He was replaced by former State Auditor Crit Luallen.[2]

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 United States Conference of Mayors. He was a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition,[4] an organization formed in 2006 and co-chaired by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston mayor Thomas Menino.

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.

  1. ^ Sanders, Chase (November 8, 2011). "Gubernatorial race: Beshear wins second term". Kentucky Kernel. Archived from the original on July 23, 2012. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
  2. ^ Loftus, Tom (November 6, 2014). "Abramson resigns to work for Obama". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  3. ^ Gerth, Joseph (February 18, 2005). "The Courier-Journal Bluegrass Poll; Mayor, council get good job review". Courier-Journal. pp. 1A.
  4. ^ "Mayors Against Illegal Guns: Coalition Members". Archived from the original on January 18, 2008. Retrieved June 12, 2007.
  5. ^ "Jerry Abramson to Join Bellarmine Faculty". Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  6. ^ "Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson Joins Bellarmine University as Executive-in-Residence in 2011". Archived from the original on January 5, 2011. Retrieved January 7, 2010.