Rudy McCollum

Rudolph Clyde McCollum Jr. is an American lawyer and politician. Born on November 28, 1955, in Richmond, Virginia, McCollum served as the mayor of Richmond from 2001 to 2005. He graduated from Huguenot High School in 1973 and went on to complete his Bachelor of Arts in economics from Howard University in 1978. McCollum later obtained his Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland School of Law and was admitted to the state bar in 1991. He started his political career as a member of the Richmond City Council, representing the Fifth District. McCollum became the 77th Mayor of Richmond in September 2001, succeeding Tim Kaine. He was the last mayor to be appointed by the city council before a 2004 voter-approved referendum.