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| R.T. Rybak | |
|---|---|
| Name | R.T. Rybak |
| Caption | R.T. Rybak in 2014 |
| Birth date | 1961-01-05 |
| Birth place | Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States |
| Occupation | Journalist, politician, author, nonprofit executive |
| Office | 46th Mayor of Minneapolis |
| Term start | 2002 |
| Term end | 2014 |
| Predecessor | Sharon Sayles Belton |
| Successor | Betsy Hodges |
R.T. Rybak is an American journalist, politician, author, and nonprofit executive who served three terms as mayor of Minneapolis. He rose from reporting and editorial work into municipal leadership, later holding roles in advocacy, media, and civic organizations. His career intersects with many national and regional figures, institutions, and movements across the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Rybak attended Minneapolis public schools before pursuing higher education. He graduated from Brown University with a degree in history, after which he studied at the London School of Economics and later earned a master's degree from the University of Minnesota. His formative years connected him to local institutions such as South High School (Minneapolis) and regional civic groups including the Minnesota Historical Society.
Rybak began his professional life in journalism, working at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and later at the Star Tribune (Minneapolis), where he served on the editorial board. He contributed commentary and essays that engaged with national outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and National Public Radio. His editorial work interacted with politicians and journalists including Walter Mondale, Hubert Humphrey, Tom Harkin, Paul Wellstone, Amy Klobuchar, Al Franken, Terry Branstad, Jesse Ventura, Tim Pawlenty, Arne Carlson, Judy Soderstrom and institutions such as the Associated Press, Reuters, Politico, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, Bloomberg News, USA Today, Salon, Mother Jones, The Christian Science Monitor, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Minneapolis Star, MinnPost, Twin Cities PBS, and Minnesota Public Radio.
Entering elected politics, Rybak ran in municipal races that brought him into contact with local and national actors. His campaigns involved endorsements from groups like the Democratic Party (United States), labor unions such as the SEIU, civic organizations including the League of Women Voters, and funders linked to philanthropic entities like the McKnight Foundation and Bush Foundation. During campaigns he interacted with politicians such as Paul Wellstone, Amy Klobuchar, Al Franken, Earl Blumenauer, Keith Ellison, John Marty, Mark Dayton, Tim Pawlenty, and municipal leaders from Saint Paul, Minnesota and other cities including Chicago, Seattle, Portland, Oregon, Boston, and New York City.
As mayor from 2002 to 2014, Rybak oversaw initiatives affecting transportation, housing, economic development, and public safety. His administration worked with transit agencies like the Metropolitan Council (Minnesota), Metro Transit, and planners linked to projects resembling Hiawatha Line and concepts used in Portland Streetcar development. He engaged with nonprofit partners including Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, Greater Twin Cities United Way, AARP, Habitat for Humanity, and foundations such as the Cargill Foundation. Rybak’s offices coordinated with federal entities including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Federal Transit Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and regional collaborators like Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Anoka County, and the Metropolitan Airports Commission. He hosted visits and dialogues involving national figures such as President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Senator Al Franken, Representative Keith Ellison, Representative Betty McCollum, Representative Tim Walz, Governor Mark Dayton, and international delegations from cities like Vancouver (British Columbia), Copenhagen, Stockholm, Amsterdam, London, and Berlin.
After leaving office, Rybak took leadership positions in nonprofit and media sectors, such as executive roles with civic organizations and advisory posts in philanthropy. He worked with entities including the Children's Defense Fund, MoveOn.org, American Civil Liberties Union, Humane Society of the United States, Urban Land Institute, National League of Cities, Brookings Institution, Urban Institute, The Aspen Institute, Roosevelt Institute, Economic Policy Institute, Center for American Progress, Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and regional partners like the Greater Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce and Minneapolis Foundation. He authored books and op-eds published by Simon & Schuster, Random House, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and contributed commentary on platforms including MSNBC, CNN, FOX News, C-SPAN, and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
Rybak championed progressive urban policies including affordable housing, transit expansion, environmental sustainability, and police-community relations. Initiatives aligned with groups like Sierra Club, Trust for Public Land, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Green Building Council, and programs similar to LEED and Complete Streets. He pursued funding strategies involving Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), tax increment financing used in contexts like Target Field redevelopment, and partnerships modeled after New Markets Tax Credit and Choice Neighborhoods initiatives. On public safety and reform, he engaged stakeholders including the Minneapolis Police Department, Minnesota Department of Human Services, American Bar Association, NAACP, and community organizers tied to movements such as Black Lives Matter, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and Voices for Racial Justice.
Rybak’s personal life includes residency in Minneapolis and family connections to regional civic life. His legacy is discussed in analyses by scholars at institutions like University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs, Hamline University, Macalester College, Gustavus Adolphus College, and in journalism by outlets such as Star Tribune (Minneapolis), MinnPost, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic. Awards and recognitions associated with his career include civic honors from Twin Cities Mayor's Association, environmental awards from Great Plains Institute, and fellowship invitations from Harvard Kennedy School, Yale University, and Princeton University.
Category:Mayors of Minneapolis Category:Brown University alumni Category:University of Minnesota alumni