Philip Klutznick
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Philip Klutznick | |
|---|---|
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| 25th United States Secretary of Commerce | |
| In office January 9, 1980 – January 19, 1981 | |
| President | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | Juanita M. Kreps |
| Succeeded by | Malcolm Baldrige Jr. |
| President of the World Jewish Congress | |
| In office 1977–1979 | |
| Preceded by | Nahum Goldmann |
| Succeeded by | Edgar Bronfman |
| 2nd Grand Aleph Godol of Aleph Zadik Aleph | |
| In office 1925–1926 | |
| Preceded by | Charles Shane |
| Succeeded by | Jacob Fink |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Philip Morris Klutznick July 9, 1907 Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | August 14, 1999 (aged 92) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic[1] |
| Spouse |
Ethel Riekes
(m. 1930; died 1996) |
| Children | 6 |
| Education | University of Kansas, Lawrence University of Nebraska, Lincoln Creighton University (LLB) |
Philip Morris Klutznick (July 9, 1907 – August 14, 1999) was a
Early life
Klutznick was born on July 9, 1907, in
He attended the
Career
Klutznick's career in public service advanced along with his success in business. After World War II, he joined American Community Developers to create Park Forest, a suburb south of Chicago.
Klutznick was also active in international affairs. In 1957, he served a three-month term as a United Nations delegate. He gained the rank of ambassador as US representative on the UN Economic and Social Council in 1960, working closely with
Klutznick had a special interest in the
Klutznick's views on Middle Eastern issues were often controversial in the American and international Jewish communities. He considered himself a
In January 1980, Klutznick began service as U.S. Secretary of Commerce under 39th President Jimmy Carter. He took office at the age of 72, making him the oldest first-time appointee to cabinet in U.S. history.[3] That record was broken in 2017 when Wilbur Ross became Secretary of Commerce at the age of 79. Klutznick had long-standing relationships with Vice-President Walter Mondale and U.S. Secretary of State, Cyrus Vance and his ties to the Carter administration were further strengthened by his significant role in Arab-Israeli peace talks. His appointment was viewed by some critics as an effort to strengthen Carter's status among Jewish voters. Klutznick's tenure was marked by the economic recession and inflation that characterized the later years of the Carter administration, Carter's unsuccessful bid for re-election, and the completion of the 1980 census.
Personal life
Klutznick married Ethel Riekes in 1930. They had six children, Bettylu, Richard, who died in early childhood, Thomas, James, Robert and Samuel. Ethel Klutznick died in 1996. Philip M. Klutznick died of Alzheimer's disease on August 14, 1999.[1]
He served as president of the Chicago Bulls franchise in 1973.
His daughter, Bettylu Saltzman, is widely credited with helping launch President Barack Obama's political career. She introduced the then-community organizer to David Axelrod in 1992.[4]
References
- ^ a b c d e Pace, Eric (August 17, 1999). "Philip M. Klutznick, 92, Builder And a Leader in Jewish Affairs". The New York Times.
- ^ *Cooley, Will, "'We Just Can't Afford to Be Democratic': Liberals, Integrationists, and the Postwar Suburb of Park Forest," Journal of Social History, [1]
- ISBN 978-1631440618.
- ^ "Barack Obama was a young community organizer when he met this behind-the-scenes political power broker - The Washington Post". The Washington Post.
External links
- Guide to the Philip M. Klutznick Papers 1914-1999 at the University of Chicago Special Collections Research Center
- Appearances on C-SPAN
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