Lawrence J. “Larry” Morrissey was elected Mayor of Rockford, Illinois, on April 5, 2005, at the age of 35. 

Born and raised on Rockford’s northeast side, Morrissey is the son of Joseph and Josephine (Matranga) Morrissey. He graduated from Boylan Catholic High School in 1987, where he finished in the top 10 of his class. He went on to graduate Magna Cum Laude from the University of Notre Dame in 1991 and received his law degree Cum Laude from the University of Illinois in 1995.

Morrissey began his legal career in Chicago where he practiced civil litigation. In 1997, he returned to Rockford to practice in the family firm, Morrissey Law Offices. Shortly after returning to Rockford, he became involved in numerous community activities. He was president of the Downtown River District organization and a member of the Southwest Rockford neighborhood group, SWIFTT. Morrissey was also a charter member of a grass-roots transportation advocacy group, the Greater Rockford Transportation Coalition, where he advocated for smart-growth transportation solutions including bringing passenger rail service back to Rockford.  He is also a past board member of the Rockford Area Chamber of Commerce, the Rockford Area Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, the River District Association, the Goodwill Industries/Abilities Center, the Rockford Chamber of Commerce, and is the past Public Director of the American Institute of Architects' Illinois Chapter. Morrissey was also appointed as a founding member of the Winnebago County Crime and Public Safety Commission.

Morrissey’s course to the Mayor’s office followed an unconventional path. He held no political office prior to successfully running as an independent candidate in the 2005 election, where he won by a decisive 14-point margin. He was elected for his second term on April 7, 2009, with 63% of the vote.

Mayor Morrissey’s agenda for the City of Rockford includes a strong emphasis on job creation through improving Rockford’s education system, improving public safety, and making core investments in Rockford’s infrastructure; what he refers to as the four R’s: roads, rail, fiber optic ring and riverfront development. The Mayor currently serves as a Board Member and Presidents' Circle Member of the Rockford Area Economic Development Council (RAEDC). He is Chairman of the Workforce Investment Board (WIB) and the Rockford Metropolitan Agency for Planning (RMAP).  He is a Municipal Member of the Chicago Metropolitan Mayors' Caucus, Midwest High Speed Rail Association and the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU).

Mayor Morrissey has taken a leadership role in increasing the City’s participation in the International Sister Cities Program and international trade and foreign-direct investment.  He has led delegations from Rockford to China and Sweden and, in 2012, was appointed by Governor Quinn to the Illinois Export Advisory Council.

Mayor Morrissey has an aggressive and inclusive leadership style, working through neighborhood groups and inviting public participation to improve the City of Rockford. 

Mayor Morrissey lives in Rockford with his wife Stacy and children Seanna, Sophia, Dillon, and Alden.