# Jim Roddey > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Jim_Roddey > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Jim_Roddey.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Roddey > Source revision: 1349672760 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|American businessman and politician (1933–2024)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Use American English|date=September 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = | image_size = | name = Jim Roddey | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date text|1933}} | birth_place = [Asheville, North Carolina](/source/Asheville%2C_North_Carolina), U.S. | death_date = {{death date and given age|2024|03|07|91}} | death_place = [Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania](/source/Pittsburgh%2C_Pennsylvania), U.S. | office = [Allegheny County](/source/Allegheny_County%2C_Pennsylvania) Chief Executive | term_start = January 3, 2000{{cite news|title=Roddey takes over as Allegheny County executive|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=R6syAAAAIBAJ&pg=5641,246736&dq=jim+roddey+sworn+in&hl=en|access-date=December 31, 2011|newspaper=The Gettysburg Times|date=January 4, 2000}} | term_end = January 2, 2004 | predecessor = Office created | successor = [Dan Onorato](/source/Dan_Onorato) | office2 = Chairperson of the
[Allegheny County](/source/Allegheny_County%2C_Pennsylvania) [Republican Party](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)) | term_start2 = December 14, 2005 | term_end2 = February 2016{{cite web |last1=Zito |first1=Salena |title=Roddey to exit as Allegheny County GOP chairman on upbeat note |url=https://archive.triblive.com/news/politics-election/roddey-to-exit-as-allegheny-county-gop-chairman-on-upbeat-note/ |website=[Pittsburgh Tribune-Review](/source/Pittsburgh_Tribune-Review) |access-date=September 30, 2024 |date=February 15, 2016}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.wtae.com/article/ex-county-executive-jim-roddey-resigns-as-allegheny-county-republican-chair/7477783|title = Ex-county executive Jim Roddey resigns as Allegheny County Republican chair|website = WTAE|date = February 16, 2016}} | predecessor2 = Bob Glancy | successor2 = D. Raja{{cite web |last1=Cato |first1=Jason |title=Allegheny County GOP committee elects new chairman |url=https://archive.triblive.com/news/allegheny-county-gop-committee-elects-new-chairman/ |website=[Pittsburgh Tribune-Review](/source/Pittsburgh_Tribune-Review) |access-date=September 30, 2024 |date=March 4, 2016}} | party = [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)) | occupation = | alma_mater = [Texas Christian University](/source/Texas_Christian_University) | website = }} '''James C. Roddey''' (1933 – March 7, 2024) was an American businessman and politician in [Pennsylvania](/source/Pennsylvania) best known for being the first [chief executive](/source/county_executive) of [Allegheny County, Pennsylvania](/source/Allegheny_County%2C_Pennsylvania), from 2000 to 2004. He was a [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)) and was the chair of the Republican Committee of Allegheny County, from 2005 until 2016. ==Early life and career== Roddey was originally from [Asheville, North Carolina](/source/Asheville%2C_North_Carolina). He graduated from [Texas Christian University](/source/Texas_Christian_University) in [Fort Worth, Texas](/source/Fort_Worth%2C_Texas) with a degree in speech. He was a former [United States Marine Corps](/source/United_States_Marine_Corps) captain, and moved to Pittsburgh in 1979.{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=POQcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FmMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2034,5480957|title=The Pittsburgh Press - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com|accessdate=November 29, 2023}} "Roddey grew to become a champion speedster in track and field, a dedicated Marine, a close associate of Ted Turner’s, a business success in his own right, an intrepid racer of sailboats, and a wit, humorist and raconteur without peer in Pittsburgh," according to ''[Pittsburgh Quarterly](/source/Pittsburgh_Quarterly)''.{{cite web |last1=Heuck |first1=Douglas |title=Jim Roddey: 1933-2024 — Pittsburgh's Man For All Seasons |url=https://pittsburghquarterly.com/articles/jim-roddey-1933-2024-pittsburghs-man-for-all-seasons/ |website=[Pittsburgh Quarterly](/source/Pittsburgh_Quarterly) |access-date=September 30, 2024 |date=March 7, 2024}} ==Professional career== Roddey served on the boards of [Turner Communication Corp](/source/Turner_Communication_Corp), [Rollins Communication Corp](/source/Rollins_Communication_Corp), and others. He was an ''[emeritus](/source/emeritus)'' [trustee](/source/trustee) of the [University of Pittsburgh](/source/University_of_Pittsburgh) and has received three honorary doctorates from various institutions. At various points, he chaired the boards of the [Port Authority of Allegheny County](/source/Port_Authority_of_Allegheny_County), the [Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority](/source/Pittsburgh_Water_and_Sewer_Authority), and the [Allegheny County Sanitary Authority](/source/Allegheny_County_Sanitary_Authority).{{cite web |title=Friends Remembered: Jim Roddey |url=https://www.carnegiehero.org/friends-remembered-jim-roddey/ |publisher=Carnegie Hero Fund Commission |access-date=September 30, 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Sewald |first1=Jeff |title=Jim Roddey, Business Executive and Community Leader |url=https://pittsburghquarterly.com/articles/jim-roddey-business-executive-and-community-leader/ |website=[Pittsburgh Quarterly](/source/Pittsburgh_Quarterly) |access-date=September 30, 2024 |date=February 21, 2020}} In 2010, ''Politics Magazine'' named him one of the most influential Republicans in Pennsylvania.{{Cite news|last=Roarty |first=Alex |author2=Sean Coit |title=Pennsylvania Influencers |newspaper=Politics Magazine |pages=44–49 |date=January 2010 |url=http://politicsmagazine.com/uploads/Image/Politics_PA_influencers_web.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091229023006/http://politicsmagazine.com/uploads/Image/Politics_PA_influencers_web.pdf |archive-date=December 29, 2009 |url-status=dead }} Roddey once was the head of the company [Wexford Health Sources](/source/Wexford_Health_Sources).Twedt, Steve. "[http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09102/962006-28.stm Wexford Health works with inmates]." ''[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette](/source/Pittsburgh_Post-Gazette)''. Sunday April 12, 2009. Retrieved August 14, 2010. ===County Executive=== Prior to 2000, Allegheny County was governed by a group of three [commissioners](/source/commissioners). In 1998, Roddey was appointed by the commissioners to manage a successful campaign (also initiated by the county commissioners) to replace that system (via a [referendum](/source/referendum)) to a new system composed of a single Chief Executive and a 15-member [County Council](/source/County_Council). Roddey argued along with the commissioners that this would more evenly distribute representation as the previous system tended to have commissioners predominantly from [Pittsburgh](/source/Pittsburgh), rather than other towns and communities in the county. (Pittsburgh is the [county seat](/source/county_seat) and by far the largest population center in the county, but still with only 26% of the county population in the city-proper.) In 1999, the first election was held for the new Chief Executive and County Council. Roddey won his race against Democrat (and "celebrity" [coroner](/source/coroner)) [Cyril Wecht](/source/Cyril_Wecht), although Democrats won the majority of the seats on the new Council. This led to friction during his term in office. During his term, Roddey implemented a property reassessment begun by the former commissioners to reverse the county's financial situation. This increased the value of many homes in the county by 5% — a legal maximum. This increase in tax revenue was not popular, but it did succeed in creating new operating revenue. ===Defeat and subsequent political activity=== In 2003, Roddey ran for reelection but lost to [Dan Onorato](/source/Dan_Onorato). In interviews, he credits the re-assessments as leading to his decline in popularity. Following his time as Chief Executive, he became an appointed member of [Pittsburgh's](/source/Pittsburgh%2C_Pennsylvania) fiscal oversight board ([Pittsburgh Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority](/source/Pittsburgh_Intergovernmental_Cooperation_Authority)), but resigned in February 2005. He was elected chair of the Allegheny County Republican Party in 2005. He drew plaudits for a relatively diminished showing for incumbent Democrat [Luke Ravenstahl](/source/Luke_Ravenstahl) in the [2007](/source/Pittsburgh_mayoral_special_election%2C_2007) and [2009](/source/Pittsburgh_mayoral_election%2C_2009) [Pittsburgh mayoral](/source/Mayor_of_Pittsburgh) elections{{cite news|last=O'Toole|first=James|title=GOP had a good day in Pennsylvania|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/state/gop-had-a-good-day-in-pennsylvania-365352/|access-date=August 11, 2012|newspaper=The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=March 16, 2012}} and [Tom Corbett](/source/Tom_Corbett)'s victory in Allegheny County in the [2010 gubernatorial election](/source/Pennsylvania_gubernatorial_election%2C_2010), but was criticized for a 2012 speech in which he claimed to have jokingly attempted to yield a handicapped parking space to a man because he, "...saw that [Obama](/source/Barack_Obama) sticker and thought [he was] mentally retarded."{{cite web|last=Kiesel|first=Meghan|title=Republican Jokes Obama Supporters 'Mentally Retarded'|url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/08/republican-jokes-obama-supporters-mentally-retarded/|work=Politics Blog|publisher=ABC News|access-date=August 11, 2012}} He retired from his position as Party Chair in 2016, having presided over a period of financial stabilization and tripling membership growth for the organization. ==Death== Roddey died on March 7, 2024, at the age of 91. ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== {{Portal|Biography}} * [http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/1998/08/31/story4.html?page=1 ''The two lives of Jim Roddey''], [Pittsburgh Business Times](/source/Pittsburgh_Business_Times). August 28, 1998. * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060215161002/http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/search/s_164372.html ''Roddey leaves lasting impact'', Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. November 9, 2003.] * [http://www.progresspittsburgh.org/DocumentPage.php?thing=Roddey%2C+James+C. James Roddy's entry in the ProgressPittsburgh database] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060112123729/http://www.progresspittsburgh.org/DocumentPage.php?thing=Roddey%2C+James+C. |date=January 12, 2006 }} *[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/08/jim-roddey-obama-mentally-retarded_n_1755690.html Local GOP Chair Implies Obama Supporter Is 'Mentally Retarded'] {{S-start}} {{s-off}} {{succession box | before=[Bob Cranmer](/source/Bob_Cranmer)
[Mike Dawida](/source/Mike_Dawida)
Larry Dunn
''County Commissioners'' | title=[Chief Executive of Allegheny County](/source/Allegheny_County%2C_Pennsylvania) | years=2000–2004 | after=[Dan Onorato](/source/Dan_Onorato) }} {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=Bob Glancy}} {{s-ttl|title=Chairperson of the [Allegheny County](/source/Allegheny_County%2C_Pennsylvania) [Republican Party](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States))|years=2005–2016}} {{s-aft|after=D. Raja}} {{S-end}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Roddey, Jim}} Category:1933 births Category:2024 deaths Category:American businesspeople in the health care industry Category:Politicians from Asheville, North Carolina Category:Pennsylvania Republicans Category:United States Marines Category:Texas Christian University alumni Category:Allegheny County (Pennsylvania) executives --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jim Roddey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Roddey) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Roddey?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.