The 2nd annual U.S. – Saudi Business Opportunities Forum is a high-level gathering of senior officials and business leaders from Saudi Arabia and the United States. This three-day forum will explore opportunities for greater economic collaboration between the two nations as well as provide an unparalleled business networking environment.

2010 US-SAUDI BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FORUM

APRIL 27-29 | CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

ATLANTA, GA

MAY 23-25, 2011

The Honorable Richard M. Daley

Mayor of the City of Chicago

Mayor Richard Daley has earned a national reputation for his innovative, community-based programs to address education, public safety, neighborhood development, and other challenges facing American cities. He was elected Mayor of the City of Chicago in April 1989 to complete the term of the late Harold Washington, and has been Mayor since then.

To improve the business climate in Chicago, Mayor Daley has trimmed business taxes, streamlined licensing processes for small businesses, created a business assistance program to support local companies and spur neighborhood development, and offered financial incentives to attract and retain employers. Under a landmark ordinance that Mr. Daley introduced in 1990, 25 percent of all City contracts are guaranteed to minority-owned businesses and 5 percent are allocated to women-owned businesses. Since Mayor Daley took office, the City has invested over $3 billion toward 125,000 affordable housing units and has established aggressive plans to rebuild public housing. Under Mayor Daley, Chicago was the first city in the country to enact legislation to combat predatory lending.

In 1996, Mayor Daley headed the U.S. Conference of Mayors. He has been named Municipal Leader of the Year by American City and County Magazine, Public Official of the Year by Governing Magazine, and Politician of the Year by Library Journal. He has received the National Jefferson Award for Greatest Public Service by an Elected or Appointed Official from the American Institute for Public Service, the Education Excellence Award from the National Conference for Community and Justice, and the Public Service Leadership Award from the National Council for Urban Economic Development, among many others.

Mr. Daly is the fourth of seven children and the eldest son of the late Mayor Richard J. Daley and his wife Eleanor. He earned a bachelor’s and law degree from DePaul University, and began his public service career in 1969 when he was elected to the Illinois Constitutional Convention. From 1972 to 1980, he served in the Illinois Senate.