Rudolph Giuliani will be the featured speaker at the 2005 Founders Day event

Aug. 8, 2005 -- National hero and legendary New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani will headline this year's Founders Day celebration, which will be held on Nov. 5 at America's Center in downtown St. Louis at 8th and Washington Streets. In addition to the talk, the event will include the presentation of awards for distinguished alumni and faculty, as well as the Robert S. Brookings Awards. Founders Day is sponsored by the University's Alumni Board of Governors.

Rudolph Giuliani

September 11, 2001 was the day Rudy Giuliani expected to begin his decline in stature. It was primary-election day — the day New Yorkers would choose his successor. What actually happened was the reverse. When the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center fell, Giuliani became the Churchill of his day, brilliantly leading the country through one of the most devastating times in our history. For his leadership, courage and inspiration, Giuliani was named Time magazine's Person of the Year.

The grandson of Italian immigrants, Giuliani received a bachelor's degree from Manhattan College and a law degree from New York University. His first job was clerking for Judge Lloyd MacMahon in the Southern District of New York, but he soon joined the United States Attorney's office where he rose through the ranks, finally serving as associate attorney general. In 1983, he became U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.

A decade later, Giuliani was elected the 107th mayor of the City of New York, carrying four of the five boroughs. The popular mayor served the city for two terms. During his tenure, overall crime fell dramatically and its law enforcement strategies became models for other large cities. His tax reforms and fiscal discipline turned a large budget deficit into a multi-billion dollar surplus, and tourism flourished.

In 2002, Giuliani founded Giuliani Partners, a leader in the fields of emergency preparedness, public safety, crisis management and corporate governance. His book, Leadership, was published in 2002 and remained for 25 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.

Founders Day commemorates the University's founding in 1853. For more information about Founders Day 2005, please visit the Web site: http://www.foundersday.wustl.edu.