Mike Rawlings

Mike Rawlings
Mike Rawlings
Born	Michael Scott Rawlings 25 8, 1954
Birthplace	Borger, Texas, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Businessman, politician
Known for	Mayor of Dallas, CEO of Pizza Hut, domestic violence advocacy
Education	Boston College (BA)
Spouse(s)	Micki Rawlings
Children	2
Awards	2018 National Award for Local Arts Leadership

Michael Scott Rawlings (born August 25, 1954) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 59th Mayor of Dallas, Texas, from June 2011 to June 2019. Before entering public life, Rawlings built a career in the private sector, serving as CEO of the Tracy-Locke advertising agency and later as CEO of Pizza Hut from 1997 to 2002. A member of the Democratic Party, he won the nonpartisan 2011 Dallas mayoral election by defeating former Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle and was reelected in 2015 against Dallas lawyer Marcos Ronquillo. During his two terms, Rawlings navigated several nationally significant crises, including the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Dallas and the July 7, 2016, ambush on Dallas police officers. He also became a prominent national voice against domestic violence, speaking at events at the United Nations alongside actor Patrick Stewart. A supporter of the arts, Rawlings received the 2018 National Award for Local Arts Leadership from the United States Conference of Mayors and Americans for the Arts.

Early Life

Michael Scott Rawlings was born on August 25, 1954, in Borger, Texas, a small city in the Texas Panhandle. He grew up in Texas and would later settle in Dallas, where he built both his business career and his public life. Details of his childhood and family background in Borger remain limited in publicly available records, though his upbringing in a small Texas community informed his later career in civic leadership in Dallas.

Education

Rawlings attended Boston College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. His education at the Jesuit university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, provided a foundation for his subsequent career in advertising and business management. After completing his undergraduate studies, Rawlings returned to Texas to begin his professional career.

Career

Advertising and Business Career

Before entering politics, Rawlings established himself in the business world. He served as CEO of Tracy-Locke, a Dallas-based advertising agency with a long history in the industry. His work in advertising helped him build connections within the Dallas business community and develop management experience that would later serve him in both corporate leadership and public office.

Rawlings rose to national prominence in the business world when he was appointed CEO of Pizza Hut, one of the largest pizza restaurant chains in the world, in 1997. He led the company through a period of significant activity in the fast-food industry until his departure in 2002. His tenure at Pizza Hut, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, provided him with experience managing a large, publicly visible organization—skills that would prove relevant when he later sought the mayoralty of Dallas.

After leaving Pizza Hut, Rawlings remained active in the Dallas business community and took on various civic roles in the city before seeking elected office.

2011 Mayoral Election

Rawlings entered the 2011 Dallas mayoral race, a nonpartisan election to succeed outgoing mayor Tom Leppert, with Dwaine Caraway serving as acting mayor in the interim. The race attracted significant attention in Dallas, with Rawlings positioning himself as a candidate with deep business experience and civic engagement.

In the initial round of voting on May 14, 2011, Rawlings emerged as a leading candidate but faced a runoff election. He advanced to a runoff against former Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle, setting up a contest between a business leader and a law enforcement veteran.

The runoff election was held on June 18, 2011, and Rawlings won decisively, defeating Kunkle to become the 59th Mayor of Dallas. The Dallas Voice reported on the final results of the election, confirming Rawlings's victory. Rawlings was sworn in as mayor on June 27, 2011.

First Term as Mayor (2011–2015)

Rawlings began his first term as mayor of Dallas in the summer of 2011, inheriting leadership of one of the largest cities in the United States. Dallas operates under a council-manager form of government, in which the mayor serves as a civic leader and presides over the Dallas City Council but shares executive authority with a city manager. Rawlings's approach to the role drew on his business background, and he was noted for keeping his own counsel on matters of policy, sometimes to the frustration of other members of the city council.

During his first term, Rawlings faced one of the most unusual public health crises in recent American history when Dallas became the epicenter of the 2014 Ebola outbreak in the United States. The diagnosis of an Ebola patient at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas drew intense national and international media attention to the city. Rawlings served as a prominent public figure during the crisis, working to coordinate the city's response and communicate with residents and the media.

Domestic Violence Advocacy

One of the defining aspects of Rawlings's time in office was his outspoken opposition to domestic violence. He became one of the most prominent U.S. mayors to take a public stand on the issue, speaking at numerous events and lending his platform to awareness campaigns.

Rawlings participated in the "Ring The Bell" campaign, an international effort organized by the nonprofit Breakthrough to end violence against women. He spoke at a Ring The Bell event at the United Nations, appearing alongside British actor Patrick Stewart, who is also an advocate against domestic violence. Stewart publicly acknowledged Rawlings's work on the issue during a 2013 speech at Comicpalooza, highlighting the mayor's efforts to engage men in the fight against domestic violence.

Rawlings's advocacy drew attention both within Dallas and nationally, as he used his position to call on other civic leaders and men in general to take responsibility for addressing domestic violence in their communities.

2015 Reelection

Rawlings sought reelection in 2015 and faced Dallas lawyer Marcos Ronquillo in the mayoral race. The election was held on May 9, 2015, and Rawlings won reelection, securing a second term as mayor. His reelection reflected continued support from Dallas voters for his leadership during a period that had included the Ebola crisis and ongoing economic development in the city.

Second Term as Mayor (2015–2019)

July 2016 Dallas Police Shooting

On July 7, 2016, Dallas experienced one of the most devastating attacks on law enforcement in modern American history. During a protest march against police shootings of African Americans in other cities, a gunman opened fire on Dallas police officers, killing five officers and wounding several others, along with two civilians. The ambush was the deadliest incident for U.S. law enforcement since the September 11 attacks.

Rawlings emerged as a central figure in the city's response, working alongside Dallas Police Chief David Brown to lead the community through a period of grief and tension. The attack drew national and international attention to Dallas, and Rawlings's handling of the crisis was closely watched. He sought to balance calls for justice and healing with support for the city's law enforcement community.

Dallas Police and Fire Pension Crisis

During his second term, Rawlings also confronted a significant fiscal challenge involving the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System. The pension fund faced severe financial difficulties, with concerns about its long-term solvency creating tension between the city government, pension board, and the police and fire departments. The dispute over how to address the pension shortfall became one of the most contentious issues of Rawlings's tenure, requiring negotiations with the Texas Legislature and various stakeholders to find a path forward.

Confederate Statue Removal

In August 2017, in the aftermath of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and a broader national debate over Confederate monuments, Rawlings took a public stance on the Confederate statues located in Dallas city parks. He described the statues as "monuments of propaganda" and called for the formation of a task force to determine what should be done with them.

Rawlings specifically pushed for the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee from a Dallas city park. The statue was subsequently removed, and it was later relocated to Lajitas, Texas. The removal process attracted significant attention and debate, reflecting the broader national conversation about the legacy of the Confederacy in public spaces.

Support for the Arts

Throughout his time as mayor, Rawlings was recognized for his support of the arts in Dallas. He championed arts and cultural programming as an element of the city's identity and economic vitality. His efforts in this area culminated in recognition at the national level when, at the 2018 United States Conference of Mayors, Rawlings received the 2018 National Award for Local Arts Leadership, presented jointly by the United States Conference of Mayors and Americans for the Arts in Washington, D.C. The award recognized his role in promoting arts and culture within Dallas during his tenure.

End of Mayoralty

Rawlings's second term as mayor ended on June 17, 2019, when he was succeeded by Eric Johnson, who had won the 2019 Dallas mayoral election. Under the city's term limits, Rawlings was not eligible to seek a third term. His eight years in office spanned a period of significant growth, crisis, and public debate in Dallas.

Personal Life

Mike Rawlings is married to Micki Rawlings, and together they have two children. The family has been based in Dallas, where Rawlings has been involved in civic and community life beyond his formal roles in business and government. His wife Micki has participated in various community and philanthropic activities in the Dallas area.

Rawlings's personal commitment to combating domestic violence extended beyond his official duties as mayor, reflecting a sustained engagement with the issue throughout his public career.

Recognition

Rawlings received several forms of recognition during and after his tenure as mayor of Dallas. The most prominent national honor he received was the 2018 National Award for Local Arts Leadership, presented by the United States Conference of Mayors and Americans for the Arts at the 2018 Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C. The award recognized his sustained efforts to promote arts and cultural institutions in Dallas.

His advocacy against domestic violence also brought him recognition, including his participation in events at the United Nations as part of the Ring The Bell campaign and the public acknowledgment of his work by actor Patrick Stewart.

Rawlings's leadership during the 2014 Ebola crisis and the July 2016 police shooting in Dallas drew significant national media attention and placed him among the most visible U.S. mayors of his era. His response to these crises, as well as his stance on Confederate monuments, contributed to his national profile during his two terms in office.

Legacy

Mike Rawlings's eight-year tenure as Mayor of Dallas encompassed a period of considerable change and challenge for the city. His transition from corporate leadership at Pizza Hut and Tracy-Locke to civic leadership as mayor represented a model of private-sector executives entering public service that has been common in Dallas politics.

His handling of multiple crises—the Ebola outbreak, the 2016 police ambush, and the pension fund dispute—defined much of his time in office and tested the capacities of the mayor's role within Dallas's council-manager system of government. The July 2016 shooting, in particular, placed Dallas and Rawlings at the center of national conversations about policing, race, and violence in American cities.

Rawlings's decision to call for the removal of Confederate monuments from Dallas city parks positioned him among a group of Southern mayors who took action on the issue following the events in Charlottesville in 2017. The removal of the Robert E. Lee statue from a Dallas park became one of the more prominent examples of such action in Texas.

His advocacy against domestic violence represented an unusual and sustained focus for a major-city mayor, and his partnership with international campaigns such as Ring The Bell brought additional visibility to the issue.

Rawlings's support for the arts in Dallas, recognized nationally through the 2018 award from the Conference of Mayors, reflected his broader vision for the city's cultural development during a period of rapid population and economic growth.