Richard Vinroot
| Richard Vinroot | |
|---|---|
| 52nd Mayor of Charlotte | |
|
In office 1991–1995 |
|
| Preceded by | Sue Myrick |
| Succeeded by | Pat McCrory |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
April 14, 1941 Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Alma mater | University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill |
Richard A. Vinroot (born 14 April 1941) is a Republican political figure and attorney from Charlotte, North Carolina. He served as the 52nd Mayor of the City of Charlotte from 1991–1995, and ran unsuccessfully for Governor of North Carolina in 1996, 2000, and 2004.
The son of a Swedish immigrant, Richard Vinroot was raised in in Mecklenburg County schools becoming student body president at East Mecklenburg High School. Vinroot became a high school athlete in three sports and captained the basketball and football teams. Vinroot won a Morehead Scholarship to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned a bachelor's degree and a law degree in 1963 and 1966, respectively. He served as class president in his junior and senior years. Vinroot's height is billed at 6'7", and he played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels under Dean Smith.
Vinroot married his wife Judy (Allen) Vinroot, whom he met while both were students at UNC. They have three children, Richard Vinroot Jr., Laura Vinroot Poole, and Katy Vinroot O’Brien, all of whom graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill.
After law school Vinroot, served in the U.S. Army and became a combat veteran of the Vietnam War. He was awarded a Bronze Star Medal.
Vinroot was a member of the Charlotte City Council from 1983 to 1991 and served as mayor of Charlotte from 1991 to 1995. As mayor, Vinroot was successful in establishing a Taxpayer Protection Act, limiting growth of the city’s budget. He created the state’s first “drug court” to speed prosecutions. A national magazine named him Municipal Leader of the Year. Vinroot decided against running for a third term in order to focus full-time on his first run for North Carolina governor in 1996. Vinroot lost in a close primary to then-state representative Robin Hayes of Kannapolis. Hayes went on to lose the general election to incumbent governor Jim Hunt.
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