Alexis Herman
Encyclopedia
Alexis Margaret Herman (born July 16, 1947 in Mobile, Alabama
) was the 23rd U.S. Secretary of Labor, serving under President
Bill Clinton
. Prior to her appointment, she was Assistant to the President and Director of the White House
Office of Public Engagement.
in Madison, Wisconsin
, and Spring Hill College
in Mobile, but transferred to Xavier University of Louisiana
in New Orleans, where she became an active member of the Gamma Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta
sorority and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
in Sociology
in 1969.
Herman was Queen of Carnival for the Mobile Area Mardi Gras Association (Mobile's African-American Mardi Gras umbrella organization) in 1974. Her Carnival king, Douglas Wicks, would go on to become the first African-American elected to the Mobile County
Commission since Reconstruction.
After college, Herman worked for Catholic Charities
and other agencies, advocating for minority women employment. Jimmy Carter
met the young Herman while campaigning in Atlanta, Georgia
and, after winning the White House
in 1977, tapped her to be Director of the Labor Department's Women's Bureau. At age 29, she was the youngest person to ever serve in that position.
In 1981, Herman founded her own consulting firm - A.M. Herman & Associates. She served as president of the company while remaining active in Democratic
politics. During her tenure as chief of staff and later vice chair of the Democratic National Committee
, she was responsible for organizing the 1992 Democratic National Convention
.
After Bill Clinton's victory in the 1992 Presidential election, Herman became deputy director of the Presidential Transition Office. She was later appointed to head the White House Office of Public Liaison, where she was responsible for the administration's relations with interest groups.
During Clinton's second term, Herman was named Secretary of Labor
, the first African American to be nominated for that position and the fifth woman to be appointed. Her nomination was initially opposed by Congressional Republicans
and labor union
s, but she earned praise from her peers for her handling of the 1997 UPS workers strike. She came under investigation for taking cash bribe and/or illegal campaign donations as an aide to Clinton from 1994 to 1996. She was the 5th cabinet officer be investigated by independent counsel. Bill Clinton testified on her behalf. In 2000 the investigation ended with no indictment.
During the 2000 Florida election recount
, Herman was part of team planning a transition to a Gore Administration, and she was mentioned as a likely candidate for White House Chief of Staff. She was replaced as Secretary of Labor in the George W. Bush
administration by Elaine Chao
.
Herman now serves as the co-chairperson (with James Roosevelt, Jr.
) of the Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws Committee.
Herman also now serves on the boards of several major companies, including The Coca-Cola Company
's Human Resources Task Force, Toyota's Diversity Advisory Board, Cummins
, Metro Goldwyn Mayer, and Prudential
and is the chairman and CEO of New Ventures, Inc.
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
) was the 23rd U.S. Secretary of Labor, serving under President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
. Prior to her appointment, she was Assistant to the President and Director of the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
Office of Public Engagement.
Background
The daughter of politician Alex Herman and schoolteacher Gloria Caponis, Alexis grew up in a Catholic home in Mobile and earned her high school diploma in 1965 from the Heart of Mary High School. She briefly attended Edgewood CollegeEdgewood College
Edgewood College is a Dominican Catholic liberal arts college in Madison, Wisconsin, in the Diocese of Madison. Overlooking the shores of Lake Wingra, it occupies on Madison's near west side....
in Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, and Spring Hill College
Spring Hill College
Spring Hill College is a private, Roman Catholic Jesuit liberal arts college in the United States. It was founded in 1830 on the Gulf Coast in Mobile, Alabama, by Most Rev. Michael Portier, Bishop of Mobile, Alabama...
in Mobile, but transferred to Xavier University of Louisiana
Xavier University of Louisiana
Xavier University of Louisiana , located in New Orleans, Louisiana, in the United States, is a private, coeducational, liberal arts college with the distinction of being the only historically black Roman Catholic institution of higher education...
in New Orleans, where she became an active member of the Gamma Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta
Delta Sigma Theta
Delta Sigma Theta is a non-profit Greek-lettered sorority of college-educated women who perform public service and place emphasis on the African American community. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was founded on January 13, 1913 by twenty-two collegiate women at Howard University...
sorority and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
in 1969.
Herman was Queen of Carnival for the Mobile Area Mardi Gras Association (Mobile's African-American Mardi Gras umbrella organization) in 1974. Her Carnival king, Douglas Wicks, would go on to become the first African-American elected to the Mobile County
Mobile County, Alabama
Mobile County[p] is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of a tribe of Indians, the Maubila tribe . As of 2011, its population was 415,704. Its county seat is Mobile, Alabama...
Commission since Reconstruction.
After college, Herman worked for Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities is a network of charities whose aim is "to provide service to people in need, to advocate for justice in social structures, and to call the entire church and other people of good will to do the same." It is one of the largest charities in the United States...
and other agencies, advocating for minority women employment. Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
met the young Herman while campaigning in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
and, after winning the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
in 1977, tapped her to be Director of the Labor Department's Women's Bureau. At age 29, she was the youngest person to ever serve in that position.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politics. During her tenure as chief of staff and later vice chair of the Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
, she was responsible for organizing the 1992 Democratic National Convention
1992 Democratic National Convention
The 1992 National Convention of the U.S. Democratic Party nominated Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas for President and Senator Al Gore of Tennessee for Vice President; Clinton announced Gore as his running-mate on July 9, 1992. The convention was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New...
.
After Bill Clinton's victory in the 1992 Presidential election, Herman became deputy director of the Presidential Transition Office. She was later appointed to head the White House Office of Public Liaison, where she was responsible for the administration's relations with interest groups.
During Clinton's second term, Herman was named Secretary of Labor
United States Secretary of Labor
The United States Secretary of Labor is the head of the Department of Labor who exercises control over the department and enforces and suggests laws involving unions, the workplace, and all other issues involving any form of business-person controversies....
, the first African American to be nominated for that position and the fifth woman to be appointed. Her nomination was initially opposed by Congressional Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
and labor union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
s, but she earned praise from her peers for her handling of the 1997 UPS workers strike. She came under investigation for taking cash bribe and/or illegal campaign donations as an aide to Clinton from 1994 to 1996. She was the 5th cabinet officer be investigated by independent counsel. Bill Clinton testified on her behalf. In 2000 the investigation ended with no indictment.
During the 2000 Florida election recount
Florida election recount
The Florida election recount of 2000 was a period of vote re-counting that occurred following the unclear results of the 2000 United States presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore, specifically the Florida results. The election was ultimately settled in favor of George W. Bush when...
, Herman was part of team planning a transition to a Gore Administration, and she was mentioned as a likely candidate for White House Chief of Staff. She was replaced as Secretary of Labor in the George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
administration by Elaine Chao
Elaine Chao
Elaine Lan Chao served as the 24th United States Secretary of Labor in the Cabinet of President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009. She was the first Asian Pacific American woman and first Chinese American to be appointed to a President's cabinet in American history. Chao was the only cabinet...
.
Herman now serves as the co-chairperson (with James Roosevelt, Jr.
James Roosevelt, Jr. (lawyer)
James Roosevelt, Jr. is an attorney and Democratic Party official. He is a son of James Roosevelt and grandson of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. As of 2008, he is the co-chair of the Rules and Bylaws Committee of the Democratic National Committee, a position he has held since...
) of the Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws Committee.
Herman also now serves on the boards of several major companies, including The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is an American multinational beverage corporation and manufacturer, retailer and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups. The company is best known for its flagship product Coca-Cola, invented in 1886 by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton in Columbus, Georgia...
's Human Resources Task Force, Toyota's Diversity Advisory Board, Cummins
Cummins
Cummins Inc. is a Fortune 500 corporation that designs, manufactures, distributes and services engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission control and electrical power generation systems...
, Metro Goldwyn Mayer, and Prudential
Prudential Financial
The Prudential Insurance Company of America , also known as Prudential Financial, Inc., is a Fortune Global 500 and Fortune 500 company whose subsidiaries provide insurance, investment management, and other financial products and services to both retail and institutional customers throughout the...
and is the chairman and CEO of New Ventures, Inc.
External links
- U.S. Department of Labor Biography
- Private Attorney Chosen To Investigate Alexis Herman, CNN, AllPolitics, May 26, 1998
- Clinton questioned in Alexis Herman investigation, CNN, September 8, 1999
- CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE S3409, April 22, 1997
- Labor Secretary Is Cleared in Inquiry on Kickbacks, NY Times, April 6, 2000
- Jonathan Karl on the possible 'sleeper case' in the election dispute, CNN, December 3, 2000