Larry Morrissey is a community activist with a prospective vision for Rockford and its citizens. He sees many opportunities for growth and revitalization through Rockford's natural resources, such as our skilled and motivated work force, active neighborhood organizations, scenic riverfront, extensive park district, and prime regional location in relation to major markets such as Chicago, Springfield, Peoria, Madison, and Milwaukee.

Larry was born and raised in Rockford, attending Boylan Catholic High School and graduating in the top ten of his class. He went on to receive his B.A. at the University of Notre Dame in 1991, graduating Magna Cum Laude, and his Law Degree at the University of Illinois Law School in 1995. He moved to Chicago in 1995 to work for Phelan Cahill & Quinlan, which later merged into Quinlan & Crisham. In 1997, Larry moved back to Rockford to work as an attorney for Morrissey Law Offices, his father Joe Morrissey's law firm, which was started in 1985.

Soon after arriving back in Rockford, Larry became involved in what was formerly known as River East, now widely known as the River District. He served as the President of the River District Board from 1998 through 2000 and then as Past President of the River District Board from 2001 through 2003. Throughout these six years and up to the present, Larry has worked with businesses and residents alike within the River District to become directly involved in the revitalization process of downtown Rockford. The steady and impressive renaissance occurring within the River District is just a small part of what Larry firmly believes can take place throughout the entire city of Rockford, propelling our image into a model of what life can be like in a city our size.

In addition to his work within the River District, he is a member of both the professional real estate development association known as the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and the Winnebago County Crime & Public Safety Commission as well as a board member at the Abilities Center. He has been a member of the Midwest High Speed Rail Coalition and the Illinois Association of Railroad Passengers for almost five years. He is also a member of the Winnebago County Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, Illinois Trial Lawyers, and the American Bar Association. In 1999, Larry was the recipient of the Sam Walton Business Leader Award. Larry ran for Mayor of the City of Rockford in the 2001 Consolidated Election as an Independent candidate, where he received more than 26 percent of the vote in a three-way race.

Larry works and lives in downtown Rockford in the former Pioneer Life Building, renamed the Morrissey Building, which his family purchased in 1998. They have renovated the second and third floors into contemporary office space and loft apartments, and have renovated the first floor and mezzanine level for the tenancy of numerous local companies, including Rockford Bank & Trust, a subsidiary of Quad Cities Bank & Trust. The Morrissey Building renovation has placed the building on the National Register of Historic Places.