Preceded by Charles Wheeler Political party Republican Party Spouse Sandy Berkley | Role Political figure Name Richard Berkley Succeeded by Emanuel Cleaver | |
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Born June 29, 1931 (age 92)
Kansas City, Missouri ( 1931-06-29 ) Children Jon Berkley, Elizabeth Berkley Residence Kansas City, Missouri, United States Education Harvard University, Harvard Business School | ||
Richard L. Berkley (born Richard L. Berkowitz; June 29, 1931) served as mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, U.S., from 1979 to 1991.
Although Kansas City mayors do not officially have political affiliations, Mayor Berkley was the first Republican mayor of the city since the 1920s, and its most recent one as of 2015. He was also the city's first Jewish mayor and served longer than any other mayor in Kansas City history.
During his term he led the calls for a federal investigation into the Hyatt Regency walkway collapse in 1981. More than 700 capital improvement projects occurred during his term, including a major expansion of Bartle Hall Convention Center and revitalization of the Quality Hill neighborhood.
Berkley received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1957.
The Richard L. Berkley Riverfront Park on Front Street along the Missouri River near the Christopher "Kit" Bond Bridge(I-35) is named for him.