Background
Richard E. Carver was born in Des Moines, Iowa on August 28, 1937.
Richard E. Carver was born in Des Moines, Iowa on August 28, 1937.
He was educated at Bradley University, graduating with a Bachelor of Surgery in business administration in 1959, and was named a Distinguished Graduate in 1983.
After college, Carver became president of the Carver Lumber Company in Peoria, Illinois. In 1969, Carver was elected to the Peoria City Council. After four years on City Council, Carver was elected Mayor of Peoria on April 3, 1973.
He was re-elected on April 5, 1977.
During his second term in office, he served as president of the United States Conference of Mayors 1979-1980 and President of the National Conference of Republican Mayors In 1980, he was a candidate to be United States Senator from Illinois, but lost the Republican primary to Dave O"Neal. He was re-elected to a third term as Mayor of Peoria on April 7, 1981, and subsequently held that office until 1984.
On August 11, 1984, President Reagan nominated Carver to be Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Financial Management & Comptroller). Carver subsequently held this office until 1988.
Upon leaving government service in 1988, Carver became the President of ZF Industries while continuing to own Carver Lumber Company.
He became President and Chief Executive Officer of MST America in January 1995. From November 1998 to April 2000, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of RPP America.
On April 14, 1978, President Jimmy Carter named Carver to a member of the Advisory Commission on Intergovernal Affairs, and on June 17, 1981, President Ronald Reagan named Carver a member of the President"s Commission on Housing, a position he held until 1984. He was a member of the Board of Directors of Competitive Technologies, Incorporated. from 2000 to 2007.