Paul D. Fraim was born in Norfolk, Virginia, graduated from Norfolk Catholic High School, completed undergraduate studies at Virginia Military Institute, received his Masters in Education from the University of Virginia and his law degree from the University of Richmond.

A member of Norfolk City Council since 1986, he was elected Mayor on July 1, 1994, and has been elected to a new four-year term beginning July 2006.

He began private practice in May 1977, and is presently president of the law firm of Fraim and Fiorella, PC. He is a member of the TowneBank Board of Directors and Chairman of its Norfolk Board.

He is a member of the board of directors of the Hampton Roads Partnership, and the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance. He has recently been re-elected to a two-year term as Chair of Hampton Roads Mayors and Chairs Caucus, having previously served as chairman from July 1996-August 1997. He is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, Norfolk Division, the Kiwanis Club of Ocean View, the Norfolk Sports Club, and the Navy League.

He has been a member of the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission since 1990 and is currently serving as Vice Chairman. He has also been a commissioner of the Hampton Roads Sports Authority. He is a member of the board of directors of the Greater Norfolk Corporation. He is former Chairman of the Norfolk Electoral Board and the Norfolk Highway Safety Commission. He is a member of the Virginia Maritime Heritage Foundation, past chair of USS Wisconsin Foundation, a member of the National Maritime Center Board of Directors, and a member of the VMI Board of Visitors.

He was co-captain of the football team at VMI and coached football at both the University of Virginia and the University of Richmond. He was the 1993 recipient of the Knights of Columbus Civic Award. The Norfolk Sports Club named him “Man of the Year” in sports in the metropolitan area for 1994. In 1995 he received Old Dominion University’s “Bud Metheny” award, and was named “Sportsman of the Year” in 1996 by The Virginian-Pilot. In 1996 the Downtown Norfolk Council selected him as the “Downtowner of the Year.” He was also awarded in 1996 the Meritorious Public Service Award Medal from the United States Navy. He was the recipient of the 1998 Tidewater Humanitarian Award presented by The National Conference of Christians and Jews. In 2004 the Hampton Roads Maritime Association presented him with its "Port Champion" award.

Mr. Fraim is a member of the Virginia State Bar and the Norfolk-Portsmouth Bar Association. He is a member of and has served on the Executive Committee of the Virginia Bar Association, and he is also a fellow of the Virginia Law Foundation.

He is married to Elizabeth Peer Fraim and they have four children.

Visit Mayor Fraim's Web site at www.norfolk.gov/mayor