Norman B. Rice was the 49th mayor of Seattle, Washington, serving two terms from 1990 to 1997. Rice was Seattle’s first African American mayor.
Born in Denver, Colorado, Rice migrated to Seattle in 1970 to attend college at the University of Washington. In 1972, he earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and two years later a master’s degree in public administration both from the University of Washington.
Before going into politics, Rice worked as a television news reporter on Seattle’s KOMO-TV and KIXI radio. He also held a series of administrative positions. Rice served as assistant director of the Seattle Urban League, Executive Assistant and Director of Government Services for the Puget Sound Council of Governments, and Manager of Corporate Contributions and Social Policy at Rainier National Bank.
Rice’s political career began in 1978, when he was elected him to fill a vacancy on the Seattle City Council. He was re-elected to the Council in 1979, 1983 and 1987. During his 11 years on the Council, Rice worked for more equitable utility rates by Seattle City Light, the city owned utility, lobbied for the passage of the Women and Minority Business Enterprise Ordinance, and called for Seattle companies to end their investments in apartheid-dominated South Africa. Rice also worked to lower crime and supported the use of city funds to help impoverished Seattle residents.
In 1989, Rice was elected mayor of Seattle as he defeated city attorney Doug Jewett, and was re-elected to a second term in 1993.
During his tenure as mayor, Rice helped streamline the Seattle Public School system, promoted human rights, and led the rejuvenation of Seattle’s downtown during the tech boom of the 1990s.
Rice graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle, earning a bachelor’s degree in communications and a Master of Public Administration from the university’s Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs. He became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. In 1975, he married Dr. Constance Williams.
Before entering city government, Rice worked as a reporter at KOMO-TV News and KIXI radio. He served as Assistant Director of the Seattle Urban League. He next worked as Executive Assistant and Director of Government Services for the Puget Sound Council of Governments. Rice was first elected to the Seattle City Council in 1978 to fill a vacancy. He was reelected in 1979, 1983 and 1987, serving eleven years in all. He served as chairs of the Energy, Finance, and Budget committees, and was Council President for one term. Rice facilitated the development of more equitable cost allocation and rate design procedures for Seattle City Light as part of his work on the Energy Committee.
His accomplishments on the Finance and Budget Committee included the passage of the Women and Minority Business Enterprise Ordinance and the elimination of City investments in firms doing business in South Africa.[citation needed] He ran for mayor in 1985, but lost to Charles Royer. Rice ran again in 1989 in a crowded field and won 99,699 to 75,446. He was re-elected in 1993. During the technology boom of the 1990s, Rice led the rejuvenation of Seattle’s downtown.[1] He also served as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.[1] In 1995, Rice served as a committee member for the Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence.[2] In 1996, Rice ran in the Democratic primary for Governor of Washington, but he was defeated by then-King County Executive Gary Locke. In 1997, Rice made a guest appearance as himself on an episode of Frasier, entitled “The 1000th Show.”
Rice was CEO and then president of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle from 1998 to 2004. Norm Rice loaded the Seattle Branch of the Bank with Billions of dollars of Loans which put the Seattle Branch in financial difficulty. He voluntarily stepped down in 2004. Rice is serving a three-year term as a Distinguished Practitioner-in-Residence at the University of Washington’s Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs and leads the project Civic Engagement in the 21st Century.[1] In June 2009, Rice was named CEO of the non-profit Seattle Foundation.,[1] serving in that post until December, 2013.[3] In December 2010, he was nominated as one of 30 members for a two-year appointment in the White House Council for Community Solutions, created by Executive Order of President Barack Obama.[4]
Norman B. Rice was born in Denver, Colorado. He migrated to Seattle in 1970 to attend college. In 1972 he earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and two years later a master’s degree in public administration both from the University of Washington.
Rice then worked as a television news reporter on Seattle’s KOMO-TV and KIXI radio. Following his media stint, he held a series of administrative positions. Rice served as assistant director of the Seattle Urban League, Executive Assistant and Director of Government Services for the Puget Sound Council of Governments, and Manager of Corporate Contributions and Social Policy at Rainier National Bank.
Norm Rice’s political career began in 1978, when he was elected him to fill a vacancy on the City Council. He was re-elected to the Council in 1979, 1983 and 1987. During his 11 years on the council, Rice worked for more equitable utility rates by Seattle City Light, the city owned utility, lobbied for the passage of the Women and Minority Business Enterprise Ordinance, and called for Seattle companies to end their investments in apartheid-dominated South Africa. Rice also worked to lower crime and supported the use of city funds to help impoverished Seattle residents.
Rice ran for mayor in 1985 but lost to incumbent Charles Royer, another former journalist. In 1988 he ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party nomination for the 7th District, losing to former Washington state senator Jim McDermott.
During his 11 years on the council, Rice chaired the Energy, and Finance and Budget, committees, and also served a term as Council President. As a member of the Finance and Budget Committee, he worked for more equitable utility rates by Seattle City Light, the city owned utility, lobbied for the passage of the Women and Minority Business Enterprise Ordinance, and called for Seattle companies to end their investments in apartheid-dominated South Africa. Rice also worked to lower crime in Seattle and supported the use of city funds to help impoverished Seattle residents.
On July 28, 1989, Rice filed his candidacy for mayor of Seattle and three months later on November 7 defeated city attorney Doug Jewett by 99,699 votes to 75,446 to become Seattle’s 49th mayor. He was also the first African American mayor of Seattle. Rice was elected to a second term in 1993.
In 1989, Rice was elected mayor of Seattle as he defeated city attorney Doug Jewett, and was re-elected to a second term in 1993.
During his tenure as mayor, Rice helped streamline the Seattle Public School system, promoted human rights, and led the rejuvenation of Seattle’s downtown during the tech boom of the 1990s.
