Hutton Honors College

Governing America's Cities:
Experiences in Public Leadership

Discussion Lunch with Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson

Monday, Nov. 2, 2009 * 12-1:30 p.m. * Hutton Honors College Great Room (811 E. Seventh St.) * SIGN-UP REQUIRED

A former U.S. Congressional leader observed, "All politics is local." Whether big or small, cities and their suburbs are where most Americans live; and we are all affected by their problems and their successes. What are the toughest problems facing U.S. cities, their citizens, and their leaders? a weak economy? homelessness? urban sprawl and pollution? crime? illegal guns? poor schools? high taxes? unreasonable expectations? When a city works well, what makes that possible?

Jerry Abramson is the longest serving mayor in the history of Louisville, Kentucky, having been elected to the post five times (the last two times after Louisville and Jefferson County merged to created Louisville Metro). He has served so long that he has come to be known as "Mayor for Life," although he has announced his plans to run for lieutenant governor in 2011. Abramson has received awards and honors that include being named one of the top 20 mayors in America by U.S. News and World Report, being named Local Public Official of the Year by Governing magazine, and having served as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and been awarded its Distinguished Public Service Award. He has not faced strong opposition in elections; but like any public official, he has his critics, too. How does a public leader make "the right" decisions in the face of competing claims and pressures? when so much is at stake? How does a political leader make hard decisions, come up with fresh ideas, and build a consensus in times when the country seems more divided than united?

Join Mayor Abramson at this undergraduate lunch for an informal discussion of public leadership, the challenges facing cities, and other topics you would like to raise. Abramson graduated from the Kelley School of Business with a bachelor's degree in business economics, and the lunch is sponsored by the Hutton Honors College, in collaboration with Kelley.

Current Programs | Extracurricular Home