A native of Fort Worth, TX, Pete Geren served as the 20th Secretary of the Army from July 16, 2007, until July 2009.

 

Geren attended Georgia Tech from 1970-73 (no degree) and received his BA from the University of Texas in 1974 and his JD from University of Texas Law School in 1978. He served as executive assistant to US Senator Lloyd M. Bentsen from 1983 to 1986, when he ran unsuccessfully for Congress. In 1989 he won the special election to fill the House seat of former Speaker of the House Jim Wright for the 12th congressional district in Texas. During his four terms in Congress, Geren served on the Armed Services, Science & Technology and the Public Works and Transportation committees. His congressional papers are available through the University of Texas.

 

From 1997 to 2001 Geren worked as an attorney and businessman in Fort Worth, Texas. He then joined the Department of Defense in September of 2001 to serve as special assistant to the Secretary of Defense with responsibilities in the areas of inter-agency initiatives, legislative affairs and special projects. While serving in this capacity he also served on the board of Anadarko Petroleum Corporation until he was appointed Acting Secretary of the Air Force in July 2005. He served in this role until November 2005, during which time he was named as a defendant in a lawsuit against the Air Force involving a Jewish father of two Air Force Academy cadets who claimed senior officers and cadets illegally imposed Christianity on others at the school (see Department of the Air Force, Controversies).

 

In February 2006 Geren was appointed the 28th Under Secretary of the Army; he

was then named as the Acting Secretary of the Army on March 9, 2007.

 

Official Bio (PDF)