Francis G. Slay

Francis Gerard Slay (born March 18, 1955) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 45th Mayor of St. Louis, Missouri from 2001 to 2017. The first mayor of the city of St. Louis to be elected to the office four consecutive times, Slay is the longest-serving mayor in St. Louis history. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He is to date the last male mayor of St. Louis.

Education and early career Slay graduated from St. Mary's High School in 1973. He received a degree in political science from Quincy University and a J.D. degree from Saint Louis University School of Law. the nation's highest award for historic preservation. In 2011, Citygarden won the Urban Land Institute's prestigious Amanda Burden Urban Open Space award.

He announced on April 8, 2016, that he would not seek another term as mayor, though he remains the longest-serving mayor of the City of St. Louis as of .

Post-mayor Slay accepted a job as an attorney with the Spencer Fane law firm, at their office in downtown St. Louis prior to his term ending on April 18, 2017

Family Slay is the second of eleven children. His father, Francis R. Slay, was affiliated with St. Raymond's Maronite Catholic Cathedral in St. Louis, and was the long-time Democratic Committeeman in the 23rd Ward, and who once served as Recorder of Deeds. Francis R. Slay died on March 16, 2011, aged 83.

Slay and his wife Kim have two children and three rescued dogs. Slay is a Maronite Catholic and also a supporter of the Archdiocese of St. Louis and of Catholic organizations in the city. He is of Lebanese and Polish ancestry.