13 Facts About Frank Ivancie

Francis James Ivancie was an American businessman and politician who served as mayor of Portland, Oregon, from 1980 to 1985.

Frank Ivancie's father was an immigrant from Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Frank Ivancie graduated from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor's degree in sociology.

Frank Ivancie subsequently moved to Oregon, where he earned a master's degree in education from the University of Oregon.

Frank Ivancie moved to Washington County, in the Portland metropolitan area, to take a position as principal of Orenco School, in Orenco, Oregon.

Frank Ivancie left teaching in 1956 when hired as executive assistant to then-mayor-elect Terry Schrunk.

Frank Ivancie was first elected to the Portland City Council in 1966, filling a vacancy on the Council when Ormond Bean did not run for re-election to the post.

Frank Ivancie was re-elected to the Council several times, in 1970,1974, and 1978, only serving the first two years of his final term.

In 1976, Frank Ivancie launched his first campaign for mayor, running against one-term incumbent Neil Goldschmidt.

Frank Ivancie was sworn in as mayor on November 24,1980.

Portland's mayor typically assumes the role of police commissioner, but Frank Ivancie initially kept his colleague Charles Jordan, who had been assigned to the role in 1977 by Frank Ivancie's predecessor, in the role.

Frank Ivancie opposed the development of the popular Pioneer Courthouse Square on the grounds that the square would become a gathering place for transients.

Frank Ivancie stayed out of the Portland public eye until 2007, when then-mayor Tom Potter proposed an amendment to the Portland city charter to convert the city from a commission form of government to a strong-mayor system.