The City of Long Beach
BEVERLY O’NEILL, MAYOR
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Mayor Beverly O'Neill is Long Beach’s only three-term, citywide elected Mayor. Initially elected in 1994, she was re-elected in 1998 with almost 80% of the vote, and was re-elected to a third term as a write-in candidate—the nation’s only large city Mayor to accomplish such an historic feat. Long Beach is California’s 5th largest city and the 32nd largest in the nation. Mayor O’Neill has been a major force in changing the Long Beach economy into a diversified mix of international trade, tourism, emerging technologies, and expanding retail.
Mayor O’Neill has won national and international acclaim for her ability to bring varied constituencies of the city together to build an economically and culturally vibrant city. She has fought to bring the issues affecting the people of Long Beach to decision-makers in Washington, D.C. and the State Capitol. Some of the major issues she will be addressing during her third-term include transportation, neighborhoods, public safety, clean water and beaches and building pride in what has been identified as one of the nation’s most diverse major cities.
As a member of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Mayor O’Neill chaired the standing committee on Jobs, Education and Workforce for four years. She led efforts to focus attention on the issue of the nation’s skill gap and co-hosted Mayor’s Skills Summits in New Orleans, Long Beach, Boston and Kansas City. In June 2001, she was recognized for her efforts with election as a Trustee of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. This followed her election to the organization’s Advisory Board in 1999. In June 2005, Mayor O’Neill was elected President of the organization.
Starting in 2001, the Mayor served one term as President of the League of California Cities.
A product of the Long Beach public school system, starting with the Long Beach Day Nursery up to her graduation from California State University, Long Beach. Dr. O’Neill pursued her post-graduate studies at the University of Vienna, and received her doctorate from the University of Southern California. Prior to becoming mayor, Dr. O’Neill spent a 31-year career at Long Beach City College beginning as a music instructor and women’s advisor. In the succeeding years she advanced to Campus Dean, Dean of Student Affairs, Vice President of Student Services and spent her last five years as Superintendent-President.
Numerous organizations have honored Beverly O’Neill for her devotion to the city, education and youth. Among them are the 1999 EDDY Award given by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, the 1999 Leadership Long Beach Excellence in Leadership Award, Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Citizen of the Year (1997), California 54th Assembly District Woman of the Year (1995), the National Conference of Christian and Jews Humanitarian Award (1991), YMCA Woman of Excellence (1990), and many others.
BACKGROUND ON LONG BEACH – Located on the Pacific Ocean between Los Angeles and Orange County, Long Beach has a diverse population of 471,000 with over 50% of the populace of ethnic origin (predominantly Latino, African-American, Southeast Asian). The city is home to the Port of Long Beach – one of the nation's busiest ports; the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific, the Queen Mary; the Boeing Company’s largest facility in California, California State University, Long Beach and a professional hockey team—the Long Beach Ice Dogs.
