Until February 2019, he was Deputy Mayor of the City of Chicago, focusing his efforts on economic development, job creation and retention, and infrastructure.

Prior to that, he served as the Senior Vice President for Regulatory and International Affairs and Deputy General Counsel of Delta Air Lines.

The program was promoted as providing economic stimulus by boosting car sales, while putting safer, cleaner, and more fuel-efficient vehicles on the road.

[4] Under Rivkin's leadership, DOT issued new traveler protection rules requiring airlines to let customers off planes stuck on the tarmac for three hours.

[10] On April 9, 2013, it was announced that Rivkin would leave the Department of Transportation to become the Senior Vice President for Regulatory and International Affairs and Deputy General Counsel for Delta Air Lines, where he was responsible for addressing governmental regulation and oversight in the U.S. and abroad, as well as litigation, antitrust, employment and real estate legal issues.

His younger brother, Charles, was formerly the United States Ambassador to France and Monaco and currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Motion Picture Association of America.

[1] His aunt, Joanne H. Alter was an American activist, politician, and the first woman to break the gender barrier in Chicago area politics.

[3] In 1988, Rivkin married Cindy S. Moelis in a Jewish ceremony at the East River Yacht Club in Long Island City, Queens;[15] they have two daughters, Stephanie and Claire, and a son, Alexander.