James F. Conway facts for kids

James F. Conway was an American businessman and politician. He was born on June 27, 1932, in St. Louis, Missouri. He served as the 41st mayor of St. Louis from 1977 to 1981.

Early Life and Education

James F. Conway grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. He went to local schools there. Later, he attended Saint Louis University. He earned two degrees from the university. One was in geophysical engineering, and the other was an MBA in Business Administration.

Political and Business Career

Before becoming a politician, Conway worked in business. He was a sales engineer and production manager for Nooter Corporation. Later, he became the president of A.C.I. Plastics Company.

Entering Politics

James Conway joined the Democratic Party. In 1966, he was elected as a state representative. He served several terms in this role. In 1974, he was elected to the Missouri State Senate.

Becoming Mayor of St. Louis

Conway wanted to use his skills to help St. Louis. In 1977, he ran for mayor. He won the Democratic primary election against former mayor A.J. Cervantes. Then, he won the general election by a large number of votes. He became the 41st mayor of St. Louis.

Challenges as Mayor

Being mayor of St. Louis was not always easy for Conway. The city's government system had different parts that sometimes disagreed. Mayor Conway and the city's comptroller (a financial officer) had different ideas. Their disagreements sometimes led to legal battles.

Key Decisions and Later Life

One important change Mayor Conway helped make was lifting a salary limit. The city charter had a $25,000 salary cap for city workers. Voters agreed to remove this limit. Many people believed this would help the city hire and keep skilled workers.

Mayor Conway also focused on the city's hospitals. St. Louis had two public hospitals: City Hospital and Homer G. Phillips Hospital. In 1979, he decided to combine most hospital services at City Hospital. This decision was not popular with everyone, especially residents in North St. Louis.

In 1981, Conway ran for re-election but lost the Democratic primary. After leaving office, he went back to his business, ACI Plastics. He stayed involved in city matters. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, he worked with a group called Citizens for Home Rule. This group tried to change the city's charter.

James F. Conway is married to Joan C. Newman. They have five children. Their son, Steven Conway, also became a politician. He was elected to the St. Louis Board of Aldermen in 1991. In 2017, he became the City Assessor.