Leadership

Edward Coyle has directed the growth of the Alliance for Retired Americans since its inception in 2001.  During that time, the Alliance has chartered 30 State Alliances and 1,400 local chapters while the National organization has grown to 3.5 million members with a fast growing community- based membership.  Under his leadership, the Alliance has been at the forefront of battles on Medicare/prescription drugs, Social Security and the 2004 and 2006 campaigns. A long time political activist, he has been involved in scores of political campaigns and is deeply committed to social and economic justice for all citizens. 

Coyle is currently Chair of the Leadership Council on Aging Organizations (LCAO), a coalition which represents 56 national not-for-profit organizations concerned with the well being of America’s 87 million older Americans.

Prior to joining the Alliance, Coyle founded Radio Fair America, a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization, to monitor and report on the effect of talk radio on national politics and public policy.  As the organization's National Director, he also provided frequent on-air political analysis, including a regularly scheduled "Vote of the Century" segment on the 2000 election campaign for America's Voice Television Network, and he hosted a weekly program called "The Capitol Insider" for the same network. 

Earlier, as founding partner of Coyle, McConnell & O'Brien, Coyle was responsible for the marketing arm of the firm, which planned and implemented direct mail advertising and fundraising campaigns and assisted nonprofit organizations and political candidates in strategic development.  Clients included: U. S. Senators Dianne Feinstein, Tom Harkin, John Kerry and Paul Simon, U. S. Representatives Bob Edgar, Lane Evans, Barney Frank, Jim Jontz and Peter Kostmayer, several governors and other office holders and a number of organizations, including Families USA, HALT, Democratic National Committee, UNITE!, Americans for Democratic Action and International Ladies Garment Workers Union.

Coyle also founded and developed Independent Action, a successful, progressive political action committee, which contributed more than $4 million to 84 members of Congress as well as non-incumbent candidates.  Coyle served the organization from 1980 through 1997, first as executive director, and then as chair of the board.  He was Presidential campaign director for Representative Morris Udall in 1976 and his executive assistant from 1977 until 1980.