Name:		Mr. Marc Morial
		Month:		June/July/August 2005
		Schools:		University of Pennsylvania 1980 Economics and African-American Studies; Georgetown University Law Center 1983
		Organization:		National Urban League
		Title:		President & CEO

Marc H. Morial is the President and CEO of the National Urban League, after being unanimously selected to by the Board of Trustees on May 15, 2003.

Prior to being selected to lead this venerable organization, Mr. Morial briefly practiced law after leaving office, having served two distinguished 4-year terms as Mayor of New Orleans from 1994-2002. During that time, he also served as President of the United States Conference of Mayors in 2001 and 2002.

As New Orleans' chief executive, he was one of the most popular and effective Mayors in the City's history, leaving office with a 70% approval rating. After being elected as one of the youngest mayors in the city's history, crime plummeted by 60%, a corrupt Police Department was reformed, new programs for youth were started, and a stagnant economy was re-energized. Under his watch, 7,000 new hotel rooms were added, and 15,000 new homeowners resulted from his progressive and innovative programs. In his final months in office, he orchestrated the return of the NBA to New Orleans, with the relocation of the Hornets from Charlotte to New Orleans.

Since assuming the helm of the National Urban League, Morial has worked to re-energize the movements' diverse constituencies by building on the strength's of the nearly one hundred year old organization. He has done so, while working hard to increase the organization's profile both locally and nationally. As President, Morial has worked to streamline the structure and organization of the movement's corporate headquarters, permanently establishing six departments within the organization, identifying and securing millions of dollars in new funding to support the League's various initiatives and dramatically increasing public awareness of the good work and name of the National Urban League through regular media appearances with various media outlets, a weekly newspaper column entitled 'To Be Equal,' as well as a widely distributed radio commentary by the same name.

During his inaugural keynote address to the Urban League Movement, Morial laid out an ambitious 'Empowerment Agenda' which he has worked hard to help implement as President of the League. His Five-Point agenda covers such fundamental issues of importance to African-Americans and people of color as Education & Youth, Economic Empowerment, Health & Quality of Life, Civic Engagement and Civil Rights & Racial Justice. These areas, which are now measured as a part of a new quantitative analysis within the League's much-heralded 'State of Black America Report,' called the 'Equality Index,' have come to serve as the cornerstone for Morial's efforts to help improve the quality of life for each and every American.
Prior to his selection as President and CEO of the National Urban League, Marc H. Morial also served two-years in the Louisiana State Senate where he was recognized as 'Conservationist Senator of the Year,' 'Education Senator of the Year' and 'Legislative Rookie of the Year' for his outstanding accomplishments.

In 1983, Morial earned a law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center and also earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics and African American Studies from the University of Pennsylvania in 1980. In 2002, Xavier University awarded him an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree.

Marc H. Morial is the son of the late Ernest N. 'Dutch' Morial, New Orleans' first Black Mayor, and Sybil H. Morial, an accomplished educator and university administrator. A devout and committed family man, he is the father of a 22-year-old daughter, Kemah, a graduate of Tufts University. He is married to award-winning news anchor Michelle Miller and together they have a 2-year-old son, Mason.