Mayor Francis Slay

Mayor Francis Slay
Name	Francis Slay
Birth date	April 19, 1955
Birth place	St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, Attorney
Office	Mayor of St. Louis
Term start	April 17, 2001
Term end	April 18, 2017
Predecessor	Clarence Harmon
Successor	Lyda Krewson
Party	Democratic Party
Alma mater	Saint Louis University, Saint Louis University School of Law

Mayor Francis Slay

Francis Slay served four terms as mayor of St. Louis, Missouri, from 2001 to 2017, becoming the city's longest-serving mayor in modern history. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Slay combined a background in law with experience in local politics, shaping urban policy, neighborhood development, and city finances during administrations that intersected with national figures and municipal trends. His tenure overlapped with shifts in urban revitalization, regional governance, and infrastructure investment across the American Midwest.

Early life and education

Born in St. Louis to a family of Lebanese and Irish descent, Francis Slay grew up in a neighborhood proximate to institutions such as Saint Louis University and the Saint Louis University School of Law. He attended St. Mary’s High School (St. Louis) and later studied political science and history at Saint Louis University, earning a Bachelor of Arts before completing a Juris Doctor at Saint Louis University School of Law. During his student years he engaged with civic institutions including City Hall (St. Louis), neighborhood organizations linked to Soulard (St. Louis), and legal clinics connected to Legal Services of Eastern Missouri. Slay’s formative influences included local political figures and regional leaders who had ties to organizations like the Missouri Democratic Party, the Archdiocese of St. Louis, and civic groups affiliated with the Gateway Arch development.

Political career

Slay began his political career as an aide and legal advisor, working for members of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen and contributing to campaigns associated with leaders such as Vincent C. Schoemehl and Ike Skelton. He served as an aide in the administration of Mayor Clarence Harmon and held roles within municipal law and neighborhood development offices that connected him to institutions like the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District and the St. Louis Development Corporation. Slay was elected to the St. Louis Board of Aldermen before running for mayor; his political network included alliances with state figures such as Mel Carnahan, Bob Holden, and Jay Nixon, as well as national connections to Bill Clinton-era urban policy discussions and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development programs.

Tenure as Mayor of St. Louis

As mayor from 2001 to 2017, Slay presided over St. Louis through events and initiatives involving institutions like the Washington University in St. Louis, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, and the St. Louis Cardinals. His administration navigated crises and opportunities tied to regional projects such as the Gateway Arch National Park redesign, transportation efforts linked with Metro Transit (St. Louis), and public safety partnerships involving the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and federal entities like the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Slay’s terms coincided with national developments including the September 11 attacks aftermath, federal stimulus efforts under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and municipal responses to economic changes influenced by corporations like Anheuser-Busch and Express Scripts.

Policies and initiatives

Slay prioritized neighborhood revitalization, downtown redevelopment, and fiscal management, working with organizations such as the St. Louis Development Corporation, the Downtown St. Louis Partnership, and the Missouri History Museum. His administration advanced projects tied to cultural institutions like the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Fox Theatre (St. Louis), and the Saint Louis Zoo, while pursuing infrastructure upgrades in cooperation with the Metropolitan Sewer District and regional planning bodies including the East-West Gateway Council of Governments. He supported public-private partnerships that engaged corporations such as Centene Corporation and Boeing suppliers, and pursued housing strategies connected to federal programs administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Public safety and neighborhood policing initiatives under his leadership involved coordination with the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri and community organizations like Civic Progress (St. Louis). Slay’s tenure also addressed urban health and education intersections through collaborations with Saint Louis University School of Medicine, the St. Louis Public Schools system, and nonprofit actors such as Great Circle (St. Louis).

Electoral history

Slay first won the mayoralty in the 2001 election defeating opponents who had ties to local power structures and campaign networks associated with figures like Jefferson City, Missouri legislators and regional party leaders. He was reelected in 2005, 2009, and 2013, competing against challengers with links to institutions including the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, Missouri Republican Party, and civic reform groups such as ArchCity Defenders and neighborhood coalitions. His campaigns drew endorsements from labor organizations like the St. Louis Ironworkers Union, municipal employee associations, and leaders in the Missouri AFL-CIO, while fundraising connected him to donors linked with corporations, philanthropic foundations including the Wellpoint Foundation and local development interests.

Personal life and family

Francis Slay is part of a prominent St. Louis family with siblings who have been active in local business and civic life, with relatives involved in institutions such as City Hall (St. Louis), Saint Louis University, and local media outlets like the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Married with children, his family has participated in community organizations including parish networks within the Archdiocese of St. Louis and neighborhood associations in areas like Lindenwood Park (St. Louis). Slay has maintained ties to legal and civic organizations such as the Missouri Bar Association, the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, and alumni activities at Saint Louis University.

Legacy and honors

Slay left office with recognition from cultural and civic institutions including the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum, and preservation groups like the Missouri Historical Society. Honors and acknowledgments from philanthropic bodies, neighborhood associations, and business groups such as Civic Progress (St. Louis) and the Regional Business Council reflected his role in downtown development, historic preservation, and municipal finance. His mayoralty is cited in studies by academic centers at Washington University in St. Louis and public policy programs at Saint Louis University examining urban leadership, fiscal policy, and neighborhood revitalization in legacy Midwestern cities.

Category:Mayors of St. Louis Category:1955 births Category:Living people