Ed FitzGerald

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This article is about the Ohio business and political leader. For the baseball player, see Ed Fitz Gerald. For other people, see Edward Fitzgerald.
Ed FitzGerald
Ed FitzGerald.jpg
1st Executive of Cuyahoga County
In office
January 9, 2011 – January 1, 2015
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byArmond Budish
Mayor of Lakewood
In office
2008–2011
Preceded byThomas George
Succeeded byMichael Summers
Personal details
Born
Edward FitzGerald

(1968-07-10) July 10, 1968 (age 53)
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Shannon FitzGerald
Children4
EducationIndiana University, Bloomington
Ohio State University (BA)
Cleveland State University (JD)
Websitehttps://www.gledp.com/

Edward FitzGerald (born July 10, 1968) is an American businessman, attorney, and entrepreneur who previously served as a law enforcement officer and public official in the Greater Cleveland Metropolitan Area.

Early life[]

FitzGerald was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on July 10, 1968. FitzGerald was the seventh of eight children, born to Joseph and Mary FitzGerald. FitzGerald graduated from North Central High School in Indianapolis, and then attended Indiana University and Ohio State University, where he earned a degree in political science in 1990. In 1989, FitzGerald moved to the Cleveland, Ohio area, where his father was born and raised, and where the FitzGerald family had lived since emigrating from Ireland in the 19th century. FitzGerald attended the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, where he received his Juris Doctor degree and passed the Ohio bar exam in 1993.

Public Sector Career[]

FitzGerald served as a staff member for U.S. Representative Edward F. Feighan from 1991 - 1992. After graduating from law school, FitzGerald worked as a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation from 1995 through 1998. He was assigned to the Organized Crime Task Force in Chicago, Illinois, and his investigative work focused on political corruption and organized crime influence in Cicero, Illinois. His work helped lead to the indictment and conviction of a number of public officials and members of organized crime.[1]

Also in 1999, FitzGerald was appointed as an At-Large Councilman for the City of Lakewood, Ohio. In November 1999, FitzGerald was elected by the voters to continue in that position and was re-elected in 2001 and 2005.

In 2007, FitzGerald was elected Mayor of Lakewood, Ohio, defeating an incumbent. As mayor, FitzGerald inherited a financial crisis and rising crime rates. After 3 years, FitzGerald was credited for launching successful initiatives in the areas of public safety, fiscal strength, and downtown development.[2]

In 2010 FitzGerald defeated ten other candidates to become the first county executive of Cuyahoga County, which was created in the wake of a major corruption scandal which had engulfed county government.[3]

Tenure as County Executive[]

As County Executive, FitzGerald again inherited a financial crisis which required renegotiating employee contracts and reducing the total number of employees.[4] He also launched policy initiatives in the areas of public safety, downtown development, efficiency, economic development, racial equity, early childhood education, and college affordability.[5][6] He also managed over a billion dollars in construction projects, including a new convention center, a new county administration headquarters, and a county-owned Hilton Hotel.[7]

2014 Ohio gubernatorial candidacy[]

On April 24, 2013, he announced his candidacy for Governor of Ohio.[8] On May 6, 2014 FitzGerald won the Democratic primary with 83% of the vote.

FitzGerald released a plan for state-funded universal preschool. He criticized Kasich for signing into law income tax cuts that save larger sums of money for wealthier Ohioans than poorer ones, while increasing sales taxes, which tax a larger percentage of income from poorer Ohioans than from wealthier ones.[9] FitzGerald also chided Kasich for a lack of transparency at JobsOhio, the privatized economic development agency that Kasich formed,[10][11][12] and for signing into law bills that cut early voting days and limit the distribution of absentee ballot applications.[13][14]

On November 20, 2013, FitzGerald picked Eric Kearney to be his running mate.[15] On December 10, Kearney stepped down from the ticket due to increasing controversy surrounding back taxes he and his wife owed.[16] FitzGerald later selected Sharen Swartz Neuhardt, an attorney from the Dayton area, to be his running mate.[17]

FitzGerald was defeated by incumbent Republican Gov. John Kasich in the November 4, 2014 election.

Electoral history[]

Election results
Year Office Election Subject Party Votes % Opponent Party Votes % Opponent Party Votes % Opponent Party Votes %
2014[18] Governor of Ohio General Edward FitzGerald Democratic 1,009,359 33.03% John Kasich Republican 1,944,848 63.64% Anita Rios Green 101,706 3.3%
2010[19] County Executive of Cuyahoga County, Ohio General Edward FitzGerald Democratic 188,474 45.73% Matt Dolan Republican 124,719 30.26% Ken Lanci Independent 47,110 11.43% Tim McCormack Independent 33,760 8.19% *
2007[20] Mayor of Lakewood, Ohio General Edward FitzGerald Non-Partisan 6,631 61.27% Thomas J. George Non-Partisan 4,192 38.73%

*Independent candidate Don Scipione received 11,897 votes (2.89%) and Green Party candidate David Ellison received 6,193 votes (1.5%)

Private Sector[]

In 2015, FitzGerald formed Great Lakes Economic Development Partners, LLC, which provides economic development consulting services.[21]  In 2017, he formed Pathway Polling, a social media-based public opinion survey firm.[22] In 2018, he also formed Smart City Solar, a firm that provides consulting services for entities considering solar energy array projects.[23]  FitzGerald is also Of Counsel with the Cleveland-based law firm of Walter Haverfield.[24]

Personal life[]

In 1991, FitzGerald married Shannon O’Donnell. Together they had four children, Jack, Connor, Colleen and Bridget. FitzGerald is of Irish descent on both his father and mother’s side, with roots in the towns of Westport and Athenry, Republic of Ireland.

References[]

  1. ^ Fountain, John W. (2003-01-10). "Top Official In Cicero, Ill., Gets 8 Years In Fund Theft (Published 2003)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  2. ^ Spirgen, Kate; News, Sun (2010-12-30). "Lakewood mayor says city in better shape but challenges are still ahead". cleveland. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  3. ^ Gomez, Henry. "Cuyahoga County executive candidates share ideas for economic development at forum". Cleveland Plain Dealer. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
  4. ^ Miller, Jay. "Cuyahoga County exec FitzGerald looks to lead consolidation of gov't services". Crain's Cleveland Business. Archived from the original on January 20, 2013. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
  5. ^ "Cuyahoga County wants to set up college savings accounts for all kindergartners". cleveland.com. 30 November 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  6. ^ "Fitz-O-Meter: Establish a $100-million economic development fund - PolitiFact Ohio". PolitiFact Ohio. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  7. ^ "Cuyahoga County". cleveland.com. 26 March 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  8. ^ Gomez, Henry J. (24 April 2013). "Ed FitzGerald kicks off his long-planned bid for governor by banking on his Cuyahoga County base". Cleveland Plain Dealer. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
  9. ^ "Ed FitzGerald assails Ohio budget as harmful to middle-class families, the poor and women". cleveland.com. 28 June 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  10. ^ http://www.nbc4i.com/story/25393739/jobs-ohio-doesnt-have-to-disclose-records-on-taxpayer-money
  11. ^ "Ed FitzGerald Calls For JobsOhio Transparency". WOSU News. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  12. ^ CIN (21 March 2014). "Ed FitzGerald to Enquirer: Here's my Ohio". Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  13. ^ "Kasich signs voting bills that end Golden Week and limit distribution of absentee ballots". cleveland.com. 22 February 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  14. ^ "Cuyahoga County". cleveland.com. 9 April 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  15. ^ "fitzgerald-picks-sen-eric-kearney-for-ohio-governors-race". Fox 19. Archived from the original on 2013-12-12.
  16. ^ "Democrat ends bid to be Ohio's lieutenant governor". WKYC.
  17. ^ Navera, Tristan (January 17, 2014), Kasich challenger picks Dayton lawyer as running mate, Dayton, Ohio: Dayton Business Journal, retrieved January 24, 2014
  18. ^ "November 02, 2010 Amended Official Total Ballots Cast by Contest". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2018-05-09.
  19. ^ "November 02, 2010 Amended Official Total Ballots Cast by Contest". Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. Retrieved 2018-05-09.
  20. ^ "November 6, 2007 Official Summary Report" (PDF). Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. Retrieved 2018-05-09.
  21. ^ "Great Lakes Economic Development Partners". Great Lakes Economic Development Partners. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  22. ^ "Home". Pathway Polling. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  23. ^ "Home | Smart City Solar, Inc". smartcitysolar.net. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  24. ^ "Home". Walter | Haverfield - A top ten Cleveland-based law firm. Retrieved 2021-02-15.
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Governor of Ohio
2014 		Succeeded by
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