John Stewart Herrington (born May 31, 1939) is an American Republican

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...

 politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

. He served as the United States Secretary of Energy

United States Secretary of Energy

The United States Secretary of Energy is the head of the United States Department of Energy, a member of the President's Cabinet, and fifteenth in the presidential line of succession. The position was formed on October 1, 1977 with the creation of the Department of Energy when President Jimmy...

 under Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan

Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....

 during his second term.

Herrington was born in Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

, and earned his A.B. at Stanford University

Stanford University

The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...

 in 1961 and his J.D.

Juris Doctor

Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...

 at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law

University of California, Hastings College of the Law

University of California, Hastings College of the Law is a public law school in San Francisco, California, located in the Civic Center neighborhood....

 in 1964. While attending Stanford University

Stanford University

The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...

, he joined the Delta Upsilon

Delta Upsilon

Delta Upsilon is the sixth oldest international, all-male, college Greek-letter organization, and is the oldest non-secret fraternity in North America...

 fraternity. He practiced law privately as an attorney from 1965–1981, primarily in San Francisco, and publicly as deputy district attorney of Ventura County.

In the Reagan Administration, Herrington served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs)

Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs)

The Assistant Secretary of the Navy is a civilian office in the United States Department of the Navy...

 from 1981 to 1983, deputy assistant for presidential personnel from 1983 to 1985, and Secretary of Energy from 1985 to 1989.

After government service, Herrington was the Chairman of Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, Inc. Herrington remains active in politics in his home state, having served for a time as Chairman of the California Republican Party

California Republican Party

The California Republican Party is the California affiliate of the United States Republican Party. The party chairman is Tom Del Beccaro and is based in Burbank, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. The RPC also has a headquarters in Sacramento....

. He currently owns Vic Stewart's, a nationally recognized steakhouse, with locations in Contra Costa County

Contra Costa County, California

Contra Costa County is a primarily suburban county in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 1,049,025...

: Walnut Creek

Walnut Creek, California

Walnut Creek is an incorporated city located east of the city of Oakland. It lies in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. While not as large as neighboring Concord, Walnut Creek serves as the business and entertainment hub for the neighboring cities within central Contra Costa...

 and Brentwood

Brentwood, California

Brentwood is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. It is located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population is 51,481 as of 2010....

. He also develops real estate, and acts as an advisor to numerous corporations.