Former HUD Sec. Cisneros Named Board Chair for Leading Bipartisan Think Tank
Washington, DC – Today, the Bipartisan Policy Center announced that former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Henry Cisneros has been named chair of its board of directors.
“In a country that is increasingly partisan, finding viable bipartisan solutions to improve American’s lives requires tireless efforts from leaders like Henry who have long worked across the political spectrum,” said Kelly Darnell, interim CEO of BPC. “BPC is the place where democracy gets to work, and we are eager to build on Henry’s proven track record of success. His years of service to BPC makes him the ideal candidate to lead our board of directors.”
“The Bipartisan Policy Center is tireless in its efforts to generate bipartisan support for legislation involving some of the most important issues of our time,” said Cisneros. “I look forward to working with my BPC colleagues on the board and on the staff to continue to build the strength of BPC in this critical work.”
Cisneros served as HUD secretary under then-President Bill Clinton and was elected the first Hispanic American mayor of a major U.S. city, where he served as mayor of San Antonio, TX. He continues to be a leader in the housing and infrastructure-building space through his active investment in CityView, a company he founded in 2003 that has built over 7,000 affordable homes across 13 states. Cisneros currently holds other board and senior leadership positions at multiple investment firms: American Trip I, Shank Williams Cisneros & Co. LLC, and Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC. He has served on BPC’s Housing Advisory Council since 2021.
“We are honored to welcome a longtime leader as BPC’s newest chair,” said fellow BPC Board Member and former Senator Olympia Snowe. “Since its founding, BPC has been committed to improving the lives of all Americans by getting things done. Henry brings a proven track record of implementing viable solutions to our nation’s pressing issues as well as his extensive experience and knowledge in business and public policy.”