Najeeb Halaby
Encyclopedia
Najeeb Elias Halaby Jr. was a US businessman, government official, and the father of Queen Noor of Jordan
.
. His father was Najeeb Elias Halaby Sr. a Syrian Christian
, who emigrated to the United States
from Syria
in 1891. Najeeb Elias Halaby Sr.'s father was an Elias Halaby, provincial treasurer or magistrate in Ottoman Syria
, who also came to the U.S. in 1891. Najeeb Elias Halaby Sr. worked as an importer and later an oil broker. In the mid-1920s, Najeeb Elias Halaby Sr. opened Halaby Galleries, a rug boutique and interior-decorating shop, at Neiman Marcus
in Dallas, and ran it with his wife. He died shortly afterward, and his estate was unable to continue the new enterprise.
Najeeb Elias Halaby Jr.'s mother was the former Laura Wilkins. Following her husband's death, she married Urban B. Koen, but they ultimately divorced. Halaby's maternal grandfather was John T. Wilkins, who served in the 7th Tennessee Cavalry during the Civil War
.
, a boarding school
in Glen Arbor Township
Leelanau County
, Michigan
, and is enshrined in that school's Hall of Fame. An alumnus of Stanford University
(1937) and Yale Law School
(1940), he served as a U.S. Navy test pilot in World War II
.
After the war he served as the U.S. State Department's civil aviation advisor to King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia, helping the king develop Saudi Arabian Airlines
. Next he worked as an aide to Secretary of Defense James Forrestal
in the late 1940s, then helped Paul Nitze
write NSC 68.
He joined Laurance Rockefeller
's family office in 1953 reviewing investments in civil aviation.
From 1961 to 1965, he served as the second Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration
, appointed by President John F. Kennedy
. Halaby was a proponent for the creation of the U.S. Department of Transportation, which occurred during his time in the Lyndon Johnson administration. From 1969 to 1972, he served as CEO, and chairman after 1970, of Pan Am
. As Pan Am chairman, he was present at the christening of the first Boeing 747
aircraft.
, on December 24, 1945 to Doris Carlquist, whom he divorced in 1977. They had three children: daughter Lisa Halaby, who would ultimately become Queen Consort
of Jordan
; son Christian, now a composer
and guitarist
; and daughter Alexa, a University of Pennsylvania
squash
champion
who was a bridesmaid
at the 1986 wedding
of Maria Owings Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger
.
He was married to the former Jane Allison Coates from 1980 until her death in 1996. From 1997 until his death in 2003 at age 87, he was married to the former Libby Anderson Cater.
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
.
Early life and ancestry
Halaby was born in Dallas, TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. His father was Najeeb Elias Halaby Sr. a Syrian Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
, who emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
in 1891. Najeeb Elias Halaby Sr.'s father was an Elias Halaby, provincial treasurer or magistrate in Ottoman Syria
Ottoman Syria
Ottoman Syria is a European reference to the area that during European Renaissance from the late 15th to early 18th century was called the Levant within the early period of the Ottoman Empire, the Orient until the early 19th century, and Greater Syria until 1918...
, who also came to the U.S. in 1891. Najeeb Elias Halaby Sr. worked as an importer and later an oil broker. In the mid-1920s, Najeeb Elias Halaby Sr. opened Halaby Galleries, a rug boutique and interior-decorating shop, at Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus, formerly Neiman-Marcus, is a luxury specialty retail department store operated by the Neiman Marcus Group in the United States. The company is headquartered in the One Marcus Square building in Downtown Dallas, Texas, and competes with other department stores such as Saks Fifth...
in Dallas, and ran it with his wife. He died shortly afterward, and his estate was unable to continue the new enterprise.
Najeeb Elias Halaby Jr.'s mother was the former Laura Wilkins. Following her husband's death, she married Urban B. Koen, but they ultimately divorced. Halaby's maternal grandfather was John T. Wilkins, who served in the 7th Tennessee Cavalry during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Career
He was a graduate of The Leelanau SchoolThe Leelanau School
The Leelanau School is a coed non-profit boarding high school located in Glen Arbor, Michigan. The school was founded in 1929, and is a small, college-preparatory school with of land with 13 year-round and 9 seasonal building structures. The school has a teacher-to-student ratio between 1:6 and...
, a boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
in Glen Arbor Township
Glen Arbor Township, Michigan
Glen Arbor Township is a civil township of Leelanau County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 788 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
Leelanau County
Leelanau County, Michigan
-History:The county's name is said to be a Native American word meaning "delight of life", but it is a neologism made up by Indian agent and ethnographer Henry Schoolcraft, who sometimes gave the name "Leelinau" to Native American women in his tales. He created many faux Indian place names in...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, and is enshrined in that school's Hall of Fame. An alumnus of 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...
(1937) and Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
(1940), he served as a U.S. Navy test pilot in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
After the war he served as the U.S. State Department's civil aviation advisor to King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia, helping the king develop Saudi Arabian Airlines
Saudi Arabian Airlines
Saudi Arabian Airlines is the flag carrier airline of Saudi Arabia, based in Jeddah. It operates domestic and international scheduled flights to over 90 destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe and North America...
. Next he worked as an aide to Secretary of Defense James Forrestal
James Forrestal
James Vincent Forrestal was the last Cabinet-level United States Secretary of the Navy and the first United States Secretary of Defense....
in the late 1940s, then helped Paul Nitze
Paul Nitze
Paul Henry Nitze was a high-ranking United States government official who helped shape Cold War defense policy over the course of numerous presidential administrations.-Early life, education, and family:...
write NSC 68.
He joined Laurance Rockefeller
Laurance Rockefeller
Laurance Spelman Rockefeller was a venture capitalist, financier, philanthropist, a major conservationist and a prominent third-generation member of the Rockefeller family. He was the fourth child of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and brother to John D...
's family office in 1953 reviewing investments in civil aviation.
From 1961 to 1965, he served as the second Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
, appointed by President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
. Halaby was a proponent for the creation of the U.S. Department of Transportation, which occurred during his time in the Lyndon Johnson administration. From 1969 to 1972, he served as CEO, and chairman after 1970, of Pan Am
Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States from 1927 until its collapse on December 4, 1991...
. As Pan Am chairman, he was present at the christening of the first Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
aircraft.
Marriage and issue
He was married three times, first in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, on December 24, 1945 to Doris Carlquist, whom he divorced in 1977. They had three children: daughter Lisa Halaby, who would ultimately become Queen Consort
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
; son Christian, now a composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
; and daughter Alexa, a University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
squash
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
champion
Champion
A champion is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition.There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, and even further divisions at one or more of these levels, as in soccer. Their champions...
who was a bridesmaid
Bridesmaid
The bridesmaids are members of the bride's wedding party in a wedding. A bridesmaid is typically a young woman, and often a close friend or sister. She attends to the bride on the day of a wedding or marriage ceremony...
at the 1986 wedding
Wedding
A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
of Maria Owings Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
.
He was married to the former Jane Allison Coates from 1980 until her death in 1996. From 1997 until his death in 2003 at age 87, he was married to the former Libby Anderson Cater.