Mayor Michael B. Coleman was elected in 1999, and was re-elected to a third term in November 2007.

Mayor Coleman’s core focus has been building stronger, safer neighborhoods, through a variety of initiatives, including the increased construction of quality, affordable homes for families. The mayor helped spur construction through city incentives of more than 12,500 new housing units in Columbus neighborhoods.

Mayor Coleman has also focused squarely on quality-of-life initiatives, through innovative programs like Neighborhood Pride, a proactive effort to engage residents and businesses as partners in fix up thousands of homes and clean up their neighborhoods. In 2006, the Mayor created the Home Again program and set aside $25 million to acquire, rehab and tear down vacant and abandoned houses in Columbus neighborhoods. To date, more than 600 homes have been impacted.

Since 2000, Mayor Coleman has leveraged incentives to create and retain tens of thousands of jobs and bring more than $3 billion in private investment to Columbus. Growing companies enjoy an educated workforce from 18 regional colleges and universities. Columbus is centrally located to national markets and a growing transportation, distribution and logistics hub. The city, currently the 15^th largest in America, is also growing as a retail hub.

Mayor Coleman is committed to improving the quality of life for families in Columbus' neighborhoods. Since taking office in 2000, the Mayor has leveraged incentives to create and retain more than 30,000 jobs at companies like NetJets, a growing international powerhouse in the aviation Industry. Working with businesses and community groups he has increased the development of new homes for families, spurring construction through city incentives of more than 12,500 new housing units. This includes the work of the Columbus Franklin County Affordable Housing Trust Corporation and units in the Neighborhood Investment Districts, which Coleman created to leverage private investment in building quality, affordable housing. In addition, Mayor Coleman has led the restoration of the King Lincoln District after decades of neglect and blight, around the $10 million cornerstone project: the restoration of the historic Lincoln Theater. The area is rebounding with seven major commercial and residential projects totaling $30 million in new private investments.

Mayor Coleman worked with business leaders to start a massive revitalization initiative for Downtown, including the creation of the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation in 2002 with the responsibility of implementing the city’s Downtown Business Plan. Since 2002 more than 5,000 new apartments and condos have been built or are under development; a new downtown park system is being designed; 2,900 jobs have been moved into downtown, and there has been more than $2.18 billion in new investment.

Mayor Coleman has a proven record of balancing budgets, and Columbus is one of the only major cities in the nation to maintain a AAA Bond rating from all three Rating Agencies. Since 2000, Mayor Coleman has spent almost $70 million less than budgeted. In that time, the city has also reduced its civilian workforce by 30 percent. Since 2001, Columbus has cut $155 million from what would have been spent in a continuation budget.

Under Mayor Coleman’s leadership, the City of Columbus has been recognized as the nation’s 8^th best place to live by CNN and Money magazine, which also declared Columbus as the nation’s safest big city. Forbes Magazine has recognized Columbus as the top up-and-coming tech city and the top city in which to retire. Columbus regularly makes top rankings as a hot destination for relocation of businesses: In December of 2008 it was ranked as the 7^th best metro area for business by WSJ MarketWatch; in June 2008 it was ranked the 7^th best city for high-impact companies by the U.S. Small Business Administration; it was ranked as the 3^rd “Big City of the Future” by international fDi Magazine and the 4^th “most business friendly.” In addition, Columbus continues to earn top rankings for its stable housing market, affordability, and as a top City for African-Americans, young professionals, and members of the GLBT community.

Prior to becoming mayor, Coleman served as President of Columbus City Council from January of 1997 to November of 1999, and as a council member from February of 1992 to December of 1999. Michael Coleman graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1977 with a degree in Political Science. He earned his law degree from the University of Dayton Law School in 1980.

Michael B. Coleman was born on November 18, 1954; He has three children: Kimberly, a private banker in Chicago, Justin, a Columbus police Officer, and John-David, a Sergeant in the US Marine Corps.