Prior to his service in the United States Cabinet, Cisneros had been the longest serving mayor of San Antonio, Texas from 1981 until his resignation on January 9, 1989.
Additionally, Cisneros has served as the president and CEO of several private sector companies, taught in numerous universities, and served on various public and non-profit boards. Cisneros is currently the chairman and CEO of CityView, a development company based in Los Angeles, California.