Richard A. Gephardt | 2025 Whitehead Award for Distinguished Public Service and Financial Leadership
Richard Gephardt served for 28 years in the US House of Representatives (from 1977-2005), representing Missouri’s Third Congressional District, where he grew up in St. Louis. In his first year in Congress, he was appointed to both the House Ways and Means and Budget Committees.
He was elected to serve as House Democratic Leader for more than 14 years: as House Majority Leader from 1989-1995 and Minority Leader from 1995-2003. In his role as Leader, Mr. Gephardt emerged as one of the leading strategists of the Democratic parties’ platforms and chief architect of landmark reforms in taxes, healthcare, pensions, education, energy and trade policy. Beginning in 1990, Mr. Gephardt worked with President George H.W. Bush on taking the initial steps to balance the federal budget. This effort was completed in 2001 under President Bill Clinton when the federal budget had a surplus.
Stemming from his time in Congress, Gephardt has experience facilitating a better relationship between many corporations and the union movement. He was member of the board of directors of Ford Motor Company, US Steel Corporation, CenturyLink, Centene Corporation and Spirit Aerosystems. He also served on the board of the Washington Center for internships and was chair of the board of trustees of the Scripps Research Institute. In addition, he is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and is founder of the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement at Washington University in St. Louis. Mr. Gephardt also served as chairman of the National Endowment for Democracy. Since 2021, he has served as co-chair of the Council for Responsible Social Media.
Mr. Gephardt began his career in public service in 1968 as a precinct captain for St. Louis’ 14th Ward, and from 1971-1976 served as its alderman. In 1976, he was elected to Congress. He ran for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in 1988 and 2004.
Mr. Gephardt earned a BS degree from Northwestern University in 1962 and a JD from the University of Michigan Law School in 1965.