Michael Nutter
Michael A. Nutter is a lifetime Philadelphian, with an accomplished career of public service, business and financial administration. Michael has served as a City Councilman for nearly 15 years representing Philadelphia’s Fourth District-one of the city’s largest-encompassing the communities of Wynnefield, Overbrook, Roxborough, Manayunk, East Falls, Mt. Airy, and parts of North and West Philadelphia. He has also served as Democratic Ward Leader of the 52nd Ward since 1990.
During his time in Council, Michael worked to lower taxes for Philadelphians. He engineered groundbreaking ethics reform legislation, and led efforts to pass a citywide smoking ban, among countless economic and legislative measures to improve the quality of life for people and businesses in the 4th District and citywide.
In July of 2006, he resigned his City Council seat, to run in Philadelphia’s mayoral election. He is thankful to the residents of the Fourth District for their trust, confidence, and unyielding support.
Since 2003, Michael has served as Chairman of the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority Board. There he crafted a groundbreaking labor-management agreement, and leads the Center’s current $700 million expansion project.
Michael serves on the Board of City Trusts, managing the City’s charitable assets, supporting institutions such as Girard College and Wills Eye Hospital, as well as administering public school scholarship funds. Before pursuing his career in public service, Michael worked as an investment manager at one of the nation’s leading minority-owned investment banking and brokerage firms. While in the private sector, he attended numerous City Council meetings. This exposure, coupled with Michael’s passion for Philadelphia led to his change in career, and commitment to public service.
After working for the campaigns of Mayor Ed Rendell and City Council members John Anderson and Angel Ortiz, he was elected as a Committee Person in the 52nd Ward in 1986, 52nd Democratic Ward Leader in 1990 and City Councilman in 1992.
Michael grew up in West Philadelphia, at 55th and Larchwood Avenue, where he lived with his parents, sister and grandmother. Michael is grateful to his family for instilling in him a strong belief in the value of education and community service.
He received an academic scholarship to St. Joseph’s Preparatory High School, where he graduated in 1975. He enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania, and graduated from the Wharton School of Business in 1979.
He resides in Wynnefield with his wife, Lisa, and daughter, Olivia, who attends a Philadelphia Public School. His son, Christian, lives and works in New Jersey. Michael is a member of the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in West Philadelphia.