Michael Brownrigg

Mayor of City of Burlingame

Michael Brownrigg was elected in 2009, receiving the most votes in the 2009 election—unusual for a first-time candidate. Michael promised to bring financial and business experience to the Council amid one of the greatest economic challenges the City has faced in recent memory. Based on his career as a U.S. diplomat, he also pledged a civil tone and a constructive, open approach to problem-solving.

Michael’s background includes both public service—as a diplomat for over a decade, serving the country in places such as Syria and Hong Kong—and the private sector, where for 12 years he was a venture capitalist helping small companies grow in the U.S. and China. Three years ago, Michael and three partners co-founded Total Impact Advisors, a merchant bank aimed at helping companies that do good things—like providing clean water in India, tire recycling in the U.S., or more productive farming techniques in Rwanda—get the capital and expertise they need to grow. Michael enjoys looking for ways to put finance to work to solve local, national, and international problems in sustainable ways.

Michael and his wife Marty have raised their family of four children in Burlingame. When they chose Burlingame in 1997, they could have lived anywhere on the Peninsula, but they were attracted by Burlingame’s schools, streets, parks, friendliness, and ambience—not to mention its convenience to San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and SFO. These are the same attributes that attract so many newcomers here and keep those of us who are lucky enough to have found Burlingame very happy to stay. The goal for the future is to build on our strengths and not to get complacent—there is always room for improvement.