Why you should listen
Richard J. Berry was elected mayor of Albuquerque in 2009. Prior to serving as mayor, Berry was elected twice as a State Representative to the New Mexico State Legislature, and he owned a successful Albuquerque construction company for decades that conducted business throughout the Southwest United States.
On his watch, Albuquerque was ranked second Best Run City in the nation with a population of over 500,000. Berry has reduced the size of city government and held budget growth to below inflation each year -- all while maintaining a high level of service to taxpayers and city residents. Also under the his leadership, Albuquerque was recently named as the 6th most technologically advanced city in America.
Berry was recently recognized as one of the Most Inspirational People in America by the Washington Post, largely due to the success of a program called "There's a Better Way," which takes a new approach to addressing panhandling by providing the homeless with opportunities to work for the City and connect them to resources and help.
Berry has been married to his wife, Maria, for 26 years and they have one son, Jacob, who serves in the Army Corps of Cadets while studying at Texas A&M University.
