Lawrence J. Morrissey

Lawrence J. “Larry” Morrissey was elected mayor of Rockford, Illinois in April 2005 at age 35. Born and raised on Rockford’s Northeast side, Larry began his legal career as a civil litigator in Chicago. In 1997, he returned to Rockford to practice at the family firm, and not long after, became involved in numerous community organizations. He was president of the River District Association and a charter member of the Greater Rockford Transportation Coalition. He is a past board member of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce, the Rockford Area Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, the River District Association, and the Goodwill Industries/Abilities Center. Larry’s course to the mayor’s office followed an unconventional path. He held no political office prior to successfully running as an independent candidate in 2005. He was reelected in 2009. Larry’s agenda for Rockford includes a strong emphasis on job creation through improving education and public safety, as well as making core investments in Rockford’s infrastructure. Larry currently serves as a member of the Rockford Area Economic Development Council President’s Circle, the Chicago Metropolitan Mayors’ Caucus, the Midwest High Speed Rail Association, and the Congress for the New Urbanism. He is chairman of the Workforce Investment Board and the Rockford Metropolitan Agency for Planning. Larry has increased the city’s participation in the International Sister Cities Program and international trade and foreign-direct investment, leading delegations from Rockford to China and Sweden. In 2012, the governor of Illinois appointed him to the state’s Export Advisory Council.