Charlie Dooley: St. Louis County
St. Louis Business Journal
September 18, 2009
by Christopher Tritto
St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley knows how to work a room. Attend a panel discussion or luncheon meeting where Dooley is in attendance and there's a good chance you will see him shake every hand at every table.
That's good politics, but it's also reflective of Dooley's approach to his job as CEO of the state's most populous county. Dooley has developed a reputation for collaboration and communication, meeting regularly with regional counterparts.
In addition to managing a roughly $500 million county budget, Dooley is a board member of the East-West Gateway Council of Governments and oversees the St. Louis County Economic Council.
"Charlie never met a person he didn't think of as a brother, sister or neighbor," said St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay. "He's a wonderful partner in regional issues, whether it's transportation, health care or economic development. And he's a dynamic leader who deals with people regardless of race, ethnicity, color, political affiliation or where they live in the region."
The son of a Baptist preacher and a homemaker, Dooley graduated from Wellston High School. He did not earn a college degree, but instead enrolled in the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam in 1966 and 1967. Upon his return home, he landed a job with McDonnell Douglas, now Boeing Co., and worked there as a general service specialist for 30 years until he retired in 1999.
Dooley, a Democrat, served as a committeeman of Normandy Township beginning in the late 1970s. He was elected mayor of the city of Northwoods in 1983 and held that job until he was elected to the St. Louis County Council in 1995.
He was appointed to his current position following the death of Buzz Westfall in 2003. Dooley was elected to the post in 2004 and re-elected in 2006. Next year he is expected to face off against likely Republican challenger Bill Corrigan, a lawyer with Armstrong Teasdale.
Dooley, who lives in Northwoods, said his interest in public service was inspired by his father. "I saw it as volunteerism," Dooley said of his entry into public service. "And volunteerism does make a difference in people's lives."
