56th Mayor of Houston, Texas from January 2, 1978 to January 2, 1982.
McConn entered the building materials business after graduating from the University of Notre Dame In South Bend, Indiana.
He became a nationally known homebuilder in the 1960s, constructing houses primarily in the upscale Memorial area. He was "Builder of the Year" and President of the Greater Houston Homebuilders Association in 1969.
Then-Mayor Louie Welch introduced McConn to the political arena in 1971, appointing him to a vacant Houston City Council seat. He was later elected to that position and was re-elected in 1973, but did not seek re-election in 1975. He won his first term for Mayor of Houston in 1977, coming from behind in an electoral free for all to defeat former Harris County District Attorney Frank Briscoe, in succeeding the retiring Mayor Fred Hofheinz, who chose not to seek a third term. In 1979, McConn won re-election against City Councilman Louis Macey in the runoff. But by 1981, the political winds were shifting quickly. Minority interests were flexing their political muscles and Houston's economy was loser to the brink of impending implosion. Weakened by the controversy, McConn was unsuccessful in hisre-election bid for a third term by falling in third place, missing the runoff against then-city Controller Kathy Whitmire (who went on to win the election and later served five consecutive terms) and former Harris County Sheriff Jack Heard.
After leaving Houston City Hall, McConn later served as Vice President of the Houston Sports Association, which at the time, owned the Houston Astros baseball team from 1981 to 1989 and served as Director of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau from 1989 until his death.
He along with Louie Welch, were the last Republicans to have served as Mayor of Houston.
McConn entered the building materials business after graduating from the University of Notre Dame In South Bend, Indiana.
He became a nationally known homebuilder in the 1960s, constructing houses primarily in the upscale Memorial area. He was "Builder of the Year" and President of the Greater Houston Homebuilders Association in 1969.
Then-Mayor Louie Welch introduced McConn to the political arena in 1971, appointing him to a vacant Houston City Council seat. He was later elected to that position and was re-elected in 1973, but did not seek re-election in 1975. He won his first term for Mayor of Houston in 1977, coming from behind in an electoral free for all to defeat former Harris County District Attorney Frank Briscoe, in succeeding the retiring Mayor Fred Hofheinz, who chose not to seek a third term. In 1979, McConn won re-election against City Councilman Louis Macey in the runoff. But by 1981, the political winds were shifting quickly. Minority interests were flexing their political muscles and Houston's economy was loser to the brink of impending implosion. Weakened by the controversy, McConn was unsuccessful in hisre-election bid for a third term by falling in third place, missing the runoff against then-city Controller Kathy Whitmire (who went on to win the election and later served five consecutive terms) and former Harris County Sheriff Jack Heard.
After leaving Houston City Hall, McConn later served as Vice President of the Houston Sports Association, which at the time, owned the Houston Astros baseball team from 1981 to 1989 and served as Director of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau from 1989 until his death.
He along with Louie Welch, were the last Republicans to have served as Mayor of Houston.
56th Mayor of Houston, Texas from January 2, 1978 to January 2, 1982.
McConn entered the building materials business after graduating from the University of Notre Dame In South Bend, Indiana.
He became a nationally known homebuilder in the 1960s, constructing houses primarily in the upscale Memorial area. He was "Builder of the Year" and President of the Greater Houston Homebuilders Association in 1969.
Then-Mayor Louie Welch introduced McConn to the political arena in 1971, appointing him to a vacant Houston City Council seat. He was later elected to that position and was re-elected in 1973, but did not seek re-election in 1975. He won his first term for Mayor of Houston in 1977, coming from behind in an electoral free for all to defeat former Harris County District Attorney Frank Briscoe, in succeeding the retiring Mayor Fred Hofheinz, who chose not to seek a third term. In 1979, McConn won re-election against City Councilman Louis Macey in the runoff. But by 1981, the political winds were shifting quickly. Minority interests were flexing their political muscles and Houston's economy was loser to the brink of impending implosion. Weakened by the controversy, McConn was unsuccessful in hisre-election bid for a third term by falling in third place, missing the runoff against then-city Controller Kathy Whitmire (who went on to win the election and later served five consecutive terms) and former Harris County Sheriff Jack Heard.
After leaving Houston City Hall, McConn later served as Vice President of the Houston Sports Association, which at the time, owned the Houston Astros baseball team from 1981 to 1989 and served as Director of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau from 1989 until his death.
He along with Louie Welch, were the last Republicans to have served as Mayor of Houston.
McConn entered the building materials business after graduating from the University of Notre Dame In South Bend, Indiana.
He became a nationally known homebuilder in the 1960s, constructing houses primarily in the upscale Memorial area. He was "Builder of the Year" and President of the Greater Houston Homebuilders Association in 1969.
Then-Mayor Louie Welch introduced McConn to the political arena in 1971, appointing him to a vacant Houston City Council seat. He was later elected to that position and was re-elected in 1973, but did not seek re-election in 1975. He won his first term for Mayor of Houston in 1977, coming from behind in an electoral free for all to defeat former Harris County District Attorney Frank Briscoe, in succeeding the retiring Mayor Fred Hofheinz, who chose not to seek a third term. In 1979, McConn won re-election against City Councilman Louis Macey in the runoff. But by 1981, the political winds were shifting quickly. Minority interests were flexing their political muscles and Houston's economy was loser to the brink of impending implosion. Weakened by the controversy, McConn was unsuccessful in hisre-election bid for a third term by falling in third place, missing the runoff against then-city Controller Kathy Whitmire (who went on to win the election and later served five consecutive terms) and former Harris County Sheriff Jack Heard.
After leaving Houston City Hall, McConn later served as Vice President of the Houston Sports Association, which at the time, owned the Houston Astros baseball team from 1981 to 1989 and served as Director of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau from 1989 until his death.
He along with Louie Welch, were the last Republicans to have served as Mayor of Houston.
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