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Pete Geren | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2007 | |
| 20thUnited States Secretary of the Army | |
| In office March 9, 2007 – September 21, 2009 Acting: March 9, 2007 – July 19, 2007 | |
| President | George W. Bush Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Francis J. Harvey |
| Succeeded by | John M. McHugh |
| United States Under Secretary of the Army | |
| In office February 21, 2006 – July 23, 2007 | |
| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Raymond F. DuBois |
| Succeeded by | Nelson M. Ford |
| United States Secretary of the Air Force | |
Acting | |
| In office June 29, 2005 – November 4, 2005 | |
| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Michael L. Dominguez (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Michael Wynne |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromTexas's12th district | |
| In office September 12, 1989 – January 3, 1997 | |
| Preceded by | Jim Wright |
| Succeeded by | Kay Granger |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Preston Murdoch Geren III (1952-01-29)January 29, 1952 (age 73) Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Beckie Ray |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Preston Geren Sr. (grandfather) Preston Geren Jr. (father) Charlie Geren (brother) |
| Education | University of Texas, Austin (BA,JD) |
Preston Murdoch "Pete" Geren III[1] (born January 29, 1952) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 20thUnited States Secretary of the Army from July 16, 2007, to September 16, 2009. He is aDemocratic former member of theUnited States House of Representatives fromTexas's 12th congressional district.[2] He is the president of theSid W. Richardson Foundation in Fort Worth, Texas[3] and is a member of the board of trustees of theInstitute for Defense Analyses in Alexandria, Virginia.
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Geren was born inFort Worth,Texas toPreston Geren Jr. He attendedGeorgia Tech inAtlanta,Georgia, from 1970 to 1973, where he was the startingcenter for thefootball team. He received hisBachelor of Arts from theUniversity of Texas in 1974 and hisJuris Doctor from theUniversity of Texas School of Law in 1978.
His older brother,Charlie Geren, is aRepublican member of theTexas House of Representatives from District 99 inTarrant County.
Prior to entering public service, Geren was anattorney andbusinessman inFort Worth. From 1983 to 1985 he was an aide to DemocratU.S. SenatorLloyd Bentsen of Texas.[2]
From 1989 until 1997, Geren served for four terms in the United States House of Representatives. He was first elected in aspecial election to succeed formerSpeaker of the HouseJim Wright. He narrowly defeated Republican candidate, well knownFort Worthallergist Bob Lanier (not to be confused with themayor of Houston of the same name). Geren was re-elected for three more terms, but opted not torun in 1996. He was succeeded byKay Granger.
While in Congress, Geren was credited with coining the term "Blue Dog Democrat". Moderate and conservative Democrats in Congress chose to name their group after this term, creating theBlue Dog Coalition. Geren opined that the members had been "choked blue" by "extreme" Democrats from the left.[4] It is related to the political term "Yellow Dog Democrat," a reference tosouthern Democrats said to be so loyal they would even vote for a yellow dog if it were labeled a Democrat.
Geren joined the Department of Defense in September 2001 to serve as Special Assistant to theDefense Secretary with responsibilities in the areas of inter-agency initiatives, legislative affairs and special projects.
On July 29, 2005, Bush appointed Geren the actingUnited States Secretary of the Air Force, a position he served in until the confirmation of his successorMichael Wynne in November 2005.
Geren was the 28thUndersecretary of the Army, a post he assumed on February 21, 2006, following his nomination by PresidentGeorge W. Bush and confirmation by theUnited States Senate. As the Undersecretary, Geren was the Army's No. 2 civilian leader. He served as the deputy and senior advisor to the Secretary of the Army and was Acting Secretary in the absence of the Secretary.
In March 2007, Geren was named ActingSecretary of the United States Army byDefense SecretaryRobert Gates, after Army SecretaryFrancis J. Harvey resignedamidst the scandal atWalter Reed Army Medical Center. On July 16, 2007, the Senate confirmed Geren as Secretary of the Army.[5] On August 30, 2007, Geren established the independentCommission on Army Acquisition and Program Management in Expeditionary Operations to investigate the contingency contracting crisis within the army.[6][7]
Since 2011, he has been president and CEO of theSid W. Richardson Foundation, in Fort Worth, TX.[8]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromTexas's 12th congressional district 1989–1997 | Succeeded by |
| Government offices | ||
| Preceded by Michael L. Dominguez Acting | United States Secretary of the Air Force Acting 2005 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | United States Secretary of the Army 2007–2009 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded byas Former U.S. Representative | Order of precedence of the United States as Former U.S. Representative | Succeeded byas Former U.S. Representative |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
