After 34 years of public service, Governor Ed Rendell has become a champion on the issues of alternative energy and government efficiency. As the governor of Pennsylvania from 2003 to 2011, he worked to make the government more responsible and responsive to the public's needs, and he successfully cut wasteful spending and improved efficiency leading to savings of over $1 billion. He continues to pursue key issues from his time in office, striving to make America a cleaner, more efficient place and to foster investment in our nation’s crumbling infrastructure.
Rendell served two terms as Mayor of Philadelphia and two terms as Governor of Pennsylvania. His legislative agenda focused on commonsense political reform and putting progress ahead of partisanship. As Governor, he energized Pennsylvania’s economy, revitalized communities, improved education, protected the environment, expanded access to health care to all children, and made affordable prescription drugs available to older Pennsylvanians. He also spearheaded initiatives encouraging the use of alternative and renewable energy, including wind farms and solar panels.
As Mayor, Rendell eliminated a crippling deficit, balanced the City’s budget, and generated five consecutive budget surpluses. Philadelphia’s renaissance, which The New York Times called “the most stunning turnaround in recent urban history,” is largely attributed to his determination, inspiration, and energy. The subject of the book Prayer for the City by Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Buzz Bissinger, Rendell was called “one of America’s best, most interesting mayors.” Before serving as Mayor, Rendell was elected District Attorney of Philadelphia for two terms from 1978 through 1985. Rendell also served as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee during the 2000 Presidential election.
In 2012, Governor Rendell penned his first book, A Nation of Wusses: How America’s Leaders Lost the Guts to Make Us Great where he chronicles his political career while making a strong statement about the state of American leadership.
Perhaps no other issue has been and continues to be as important to Rendell as America’s dire need to rebuild and reinvest in its infrastructure. He worked with Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to found Building America's Future, a national infrastructure-investment coalition. Rendell currently serves as Co-Chair of the organization.
Rendell serves as a consultant or board member for several green and alternative energy firms, including Own Energy, The Efficiency Network and VNG.co. He has also remained heavily involved in the campaign for government efficiency and strategic cost cutting through his work with entities such as Government Sourcing Solutions and Public Financial Management.
He currently sits on several boards, supports multiple non-profit organizations and teaches government and politics courses at the University of Pennsylvania. An Army veteran, he holds a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and a J.D. from Villanova Law School.
Governor Rendell discussed his book A Nation of Wusses: How America’s Leaders Lost the Guts to Make Us Great at The Common Good in 2012: Governor Ed Rendell on “A Nation of Wusses” – July 12, 2012. He was also a distinguished participant at The Common Good Forum & American Spirit Awards - May 27, 2016. He currently serves as a member of The Common Good Honorary Advisory Board.
Twitter:@GovEdRendell
Books:
Selected Media:
Biden ally says president should take Fox News questions The Hill, 2020
Ed Rendell Still Has a Few Things to Say Philadelphia, 2020
Rendell: Change begins with honest conversation on crime and police The Hill, 2020
Rendell: Feds have better things to do than go after supervised injection sitesThe Philadelphia Inquirer, 2019
