Daniel Rickenmann is the 71st Mayor of Columbia, South Carolina. He is an innovative entrepreneur and a dedicated public servant with a passion for improving the quality of life for all in the Palmetto State’s Capital City.

As he enters his second term, Mayor Daniel Rickenmann remains committed to advancing the priorities that have defined his leadership. He will continue expanding housing options, strengthening public safety through innovative programs, and enhancing customer service across city operations. Building on the momentum of cleaner, more vibrant neighborhoods and renewed pride in Columbia’s public spaces, he plans to further invest in parks, green spaces, and environmental sustainability, particularly along the riverfront. With a proven record of supporting economic growth, improving infrastructure, and championing a family-friendly and business-friendly culture, Mayor Rickenmann is dedicated to ensuring Columbia’s continued progress and quality of life for all who call the Capital City home.

Rickenmann’s political career began in 2002 when he was elected to the Columbia City Council. During his 14 years of service, he was a strong advocate for fiscal responsibility, public safety, and infrastructure improvements. He played an important role in revitalizing downtown Columbia, supporting affordable housing efforts, and championing local small businesses.

As Mayor, Rickenmann represents the City of Columbia as a member of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, where he serves in a leadership role as a Trustee. He also serves as Chair of the Mayor’s Alliance to End Childhood Hunger and is an active member of the Accelerator for America Advisory Council, America Is All In Leaders Circle, and the Climate Mayors Steering Committee.

Rickenmann has been widely recognized for his leadership. He ranked number two on the Post and Courier Power List in 2023 and 2024, and was named one of Columbia’s 50 Most Influential in 2023, 2024, and 2025 by Columbia Business Monthly. He was also selected for The State Newspaper’s Top 20 Under 40. Fortune Magazine recognized him as one of six Green Leaders in a red state. He was handpicked by the American Swiss Foundation to attend the Young Leaders Conference in Zurich, Switzerland, and in 2022 he was selected to participate in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative alongside 40 mayors from around the world.

Outside of public service, Rickenmann has built a successful career as an entrepreneur in the restaurant industry, renewable energy development, and spirits production. Shortly after graduating from college, he opened Birds on a Wire, his first restaurant in Columbia. In 2009 he launched a renewable energy company focused on innovative approaches to powering communities. More recently, he co-founded Forbidden Bourbon, a Kentucky-based spirits company known for having the first female master distiller.

Raised in Spartanburg, Rickenmann is a first-generation American who was raised by a single mother. He moved to Columbia to attend the University of South Carolina, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science in 1992.

Rickenmann is dedicated to making Columbia a place his fellow residents and his own family are proud to call home. He is married to Dr. Laura Rickenmann, a local pediatrician, and they have two daughters, Carlyle and Ellie, along with two dogs, Lulu and Quila. At the end of the day, Mayor Rickenmann is working to make Columbia a place his daughters want to live, work, and raise a family.