Who

Mayor Bloomberg's communications director from 2001 through 2006, Bill Cunningham is currently a managing director at the PR powerhouse Dan Klores Communications.

Backstory

Born to Irish immigrants, Cunningham got his start in New York politics in 1975, when he went to work on the staff of Governor Hugh Carey. He stayed in Albany and worked for Mario Cuomo after he was elected governor; Cunningham went on to serve as chief of staff for Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, managing his successful 1994 re-election campaign and earning a reputation as a shrewd political tactician in the process.

Following a stint in the private sector, Cunningham joined up with Michael Bloomberg's campaign in 2001, playing a key role in his election and then his successful re-election campaign four years later. Cunningham departed the administration soon after (Ed Skyler took over his responsibilities) and later signed up as a managing director at Dan Klores's PR firm. He now focuses on reeling in big corporate clients and helping companies on DKC's roster (Cushman & Wakefield, Delta, Cantor Fitzgerald) navigate political waters.

Personal

Cunningham and his wife, Colleen, have two daughters, Casey and Amy. The live in a condo on lower Park Avenue and a home in upstate New York.