Graham Richard

Fort Wayne Mayor Graham Richard is on a mission to turn city government into a lean, results-producing, customer-focused driver of an economically thriving city. In his second term as mayor of Indiana’s second-largest city, Richard has helped taxpayers save more than $10 million while improving city services.

A former Indiana state senator and business entrepreneur, Mayor Richard brought that expertise to city government in 2000 when he began his first term as mayor. Fort Wayne has been recognized as the first city to use Lean Six Sigma.

Mayor Richard has delivered keynote presentations and speeches to many audiences, including “How to Use Lean Six Sigma to Create a High Performance Government” at Lean Six Sigma Summits in Miami, Las Vegas, Palm Springs, and Washington, D.C. In December 2005, the Brookings Institution hosted Mayor Richard for a presentation on “Fort Wayne: Wired and Inspired to Compete in the Flat World.” Mayor Richard also addressed the Winter 2006 U.S. Conference of Mayors on the same subject.

Mayor Richard has received national awards for his technology leadership, including the Fiber-to-the-Home Council’s 2005 Star Award for being a leader in broadband technology. Mayor was recognized as one of the top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers by Government Technology magazine for his significant contributions to the digital government movement. In addition, the Public Technology Institute awarded Mayor Richard with the 2006 Tech Leader Award. In September 2006, KillerApp magazine recognized Mayor Richard with the KillerApp Trailblazer Award for being a leader in broadband services.

Mayor Richard is an energized leader, whose passion for public service began at a young age while he was growing up in Fort Wayne. He is a graduate of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University.