Kathryn J. Whitmire
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Kathryn J. "Kathy" Whitmire (born 29th October 1946) was Mayor of the city of Houston, Texas from 1982 to 1991.
Whitmire has relocated to Hawaii (one of four states to eliminate billboards to preserve its scenic environment). Whitmire was a professor at the University of Maryland, College Park where she taught government classes in the Burns Leadership Academy. Whitmire was the second child of Ida Reeves (death 2004) and Carl Neiderhoffer (death 1990's), a Houston attorney. Whitmire has one brother, Thomas Neiderhoffer (Spouse - Jean Neidehoffer) and one nephew.
Whitmire first served as the first female City Controller of Houston before her multiple terms as mayor than spun nearly a decade. Was the first Mayor to appoint an African-American - Lee P. Brown - as Houston's first African American police chief and charge admission fees to the Houston Zoo in 1989. She also appointed Sylvia R. Garcia as the first Hispanic as the presiding Houston Municipal Court Judge - who would later run for Houston City Controller and eventually, Harris County Commissioner.
Whitmire also drafted a major Monorail mass transit plan that was quickly killed off by her sucessor. Featured on VH1's "I love the 80's" program due to her resembelence to Dustin Hoffman's character "Tootsie". Whitmire recently remarried in 2002 to Mr. Alan J. Whelms, and she is enjoying life in Hawaii.
| Preceded by: Jim McConn | Mayor of Houston, Texas 1982-1991 | Succeeded by: Bob Lanier |