W. John Kenney
Encyclopedia
William John Kenney was United States
Assistant Secretary of the Navy
1945-46, Under Secretary of the Navy
1947-49, and the operating chief of the Marshall Plan
1950-52.
and grew up in Oklahoma, Washington, D.C.
, Los Angeles
, and Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
. He attended Stanford University
, graduating in 1926, and then attended Harvard Law School
, graduating in 1929. After law school, he moved to San Francisco, and practiced law
there until 1936.
In 1936, Kenney began his career of public service when he was appointed chief of the oil and gas unit of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. After two years in government, he practiced law in Los Angeles until 1941, when he returned to Washington, D.C. as special assistant to James Forrestal
, first Under Secretary of the Navy
. He later served as the second General Counsel of the Navy
from February 5, 1945 to April 2, 1945.
Harry Truman appointed Kenney Assistant Secretary of the Navy
in 1946, and he served in that capacity from March 1, 1946 to September 19, 1947. Truman then promoted Kenney to Under Secretary of the Navy
and he served in that office from September 19, 1947 to September 24, 1949. Under the Marshall Plan
, President Truman named Kenney director of the Economic Cooperation Mission to Britain, and then, in 1950, he became the operating chief of the entire Marshall Plan under its director, W. Averell Harriman
. Kenney would later support Harriman during Harriman's 1952 and 1956 attempts to become President of the United States
.
as a partner
at the law firm
of Sullivan, Shea & Kenney. In 1970, he left for the firm of Cox, Langford & Brown, and then in 1973, moved to Squire, Sanders & Dempsey
, where he was a partner until he retired in 1989.
During his many years as a high-powered attorney in Washington, D.C., Kenney was involved in many outside organizations. He helped to found the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
at Johns Hopkins University
. He was a trustee
of The George C. Marshall Foundation
. For a number of years, he sat on the Board of Directors
of Riggs Bank
. He was chairman of the Washington, D.C. chapter of the American Red Cross
. Socially, he was head of the prestigious Alibi Club
.
Kenney died of pneumonia
at his home in Washington, D.C. on January 16, 1992.
, a diplomat and future United States
ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development under President Ronald Reagan
, at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, popularly known as the Washington National Cathedral
. In 1981, their three children (Kenney's grandchildren), donated to St. John's Church Lafayette Square a stained glass window in the Streators' honor. Kenney's grand-daughter Elinor Streator had a society wedding in 1986.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Assistant Secretary of the Navy is the title given to certain civilian senior officials in the United States Department of the Navy....
1945-46, Under Secretary of the Navy
Under Secretary of the Navy
The Under Secretary of the Navy is the second-highest ranking civilian official in the United States Department of the Navy. The Under Secretary, called the "Under" in Pentagon slang, reports to the Secretary of the Navy ....
1947-49, and the operating chief of the Marshall Plan
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was the large-scale American program to aid Europe where the United States gave monetary support to help rebuild European economies after the end of World War II in order to combat the spread of Soviet communism. The plan was in operation for four years beginning in April 1948...
1950-52.
Early life and career
W. John Kenney was born in OklahomaOklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
and grew up in Oklahoma, 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....
, 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...
, and Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Carmel-by-the-Sea, often called simply Carmel, is a small city in Monterey County, California, United States, founded in 1902 and incorporated in 1916. Situated on the Monterey Peninsula, the town is known for its natural scenery and rich artistic history...
. He attended 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...
, graduating in 1926, and then attended Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
, graduating in 1929. After law school, he moved to San Francisco, and practiced law
Practice of law
In its most general sense, the practice of law involves giving legal advice to clients, drafting legal documents for clients, and representing clients in legal negotiations and court proceedings such as lawsuits, and is applied to the professional services of a lawyer or attorney at law, barrister,...
there until 1936.
In 1936, Kenney began his career of public service when he was appointed chief of the oil and gas unit of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. After two years in government, he practiced law in Los Angeles until 1941, when he returned to Washington, D.C. as special assistant to 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....
, first Under Secretary of the Navy
Under Secretary of the Navy
The Under Secretary of the Navy is the second-highest ranking civilian official in the United States Department of the Navy. The Under Secretary, called the "Under" in Pentagon slang, reports to the Secretary of the Navy ....
. He later served as the second General Counsel of the Navy
General Counsel of the Navy
The General Counsel of the Department of the Navy is the senior civilian lawyer in the United States Department of the Navy and is the senior legal adviser to the Secretary of the Navy. The Office of the General Counsel of the Navy provides legal advice to the Secretary, the Under Secretary of the...
from February 5, 1945 to April 2, 1945.
Career in the Navy and the Marshall Plan
President of the United StatesPresident 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....
Harry Truman appointed Kenney Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Assistant Secretary of the Navy is the title given to certain civilian senior officials in the United States Department of the Navy....
in 1946, and he served in that capacity from March 1, 1946 to September 19, 1947. Truman then promoted Kenney to Under Secretary of the Navy
Under Secretary of the Navy
The Under Secretary of the Navy is the second-highest ranking civilian official in the United States Department of the Navy. The Under Secretary, called the "Under" in Pentagon slang, reports to the Secretary of the Navy ....
and he served in that office from September 19, 1947 to September 24, 1949. Under the Marshall Plan
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was the large-scale American program to aid Europe where the United States gave monetary support to help rebuild European economies after the end of World War II in order to combat the spread of Soviet communism. The plan was in operation for four years beginning in April 1948...
, President Truman named Kenney director of the Economic Cooperation Mission to Britain, and then, in 1950, he became the operating chief of the entire Marshall Plan under its director, W. Averell Harriman
W. Averell Harriman
William Averell Harriman was an American Democratic Party politician, businessman, and diplomat. He was the son of railroad baron E. H. Harriman. He served as Secretary of Commerce under President Harry S. Truman and later as the 48th Governor of New York...
. Kenney would later support Harriman during Harriman's 1952 and 1956 attempts to become President of the United States
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....
.
Post-government career
With the ending of the Marshall Plan in 1952, Kenney returned to the private practice of corporate lawCorporate law
Corporate law is the study of how shareholders, directors, employees, creditors, and other stakeholders such as consumers, the community and the environment interact with one another. Corporate law is a part of a broader companies law...
as a partner
Partner (business rank)
A partner in a law firm, accounting firm, consulting firm, or financial firm is a highly ranked position. Originally, these businesses were set up as legal partnerships in which the partners were entitled to a share of the profits of the enterprise. The name has remained even though many of these...
at the law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
of Sullivan, Shea & Kenney. In 1970, he left for the firm of Cox, Langford & Brown, and then in 1973, moved to Squire, Sanders & Dempsey
Squire, Sanders & Dempsey
Squire, Sanders & Dempsey is an international legal practice with 36 offices in 17 countries. Squire, Sanders & Dempsey International Association does not itself provide, directly or indirectly, any legal or other client services...
, where he was a partner until he retired in 1989.
During his many years as a high-powered attorney in Washington, D.C., Kenney was involved in many outside organizations. He helped to found the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies , a division of Johns Hopkins University based in Washington, D.C., is one of the world's leading and most prestigious graduate schools devoted to the study of international affairs, economics, diplomacy, and policy research and...
at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
. He was a trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
of The George C. Marshall Foundation
The George C. Marshall Foundation
Founded in 1953 at the urging of President Harry Truman, the independent George C. Marshall Foundation is the place where the values that shaped and motivated Marshall are kept alive...
. For a number of years, he sat on the Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of Riggs Bank
Riggs Bank
Riggs Bank was a Washington, D.C.-based commercial bank with branches located in the surrounding metropolitan area and offices around the world. For most of its history, it was the largest bank in the nation's capital. Riggs had been controlled by the Albritton family since the 1980s, but they lost...
. He was chairman of the Washington, D.C. chapter of the American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
. Socially, he was head of the prestigious Alibi Club
Alibi Club
The Alibi Club is a private, traditional gentlemen's club in Washington, D.C. Its members comprise the Washington elite, including presidents, senators, and diplomats, among other prominent figures.-History:...
.
Kenney died of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
at his home in Washington, D.C. on January 16, 1992.
Family
Kenney and his wife, Elinor, had two daughters. In 1957, his daughter Priscilla Kenney married Edward StreatorEdward Streator
Edward Streator is an American diplomat. He was the 1991 winner of the Benjamin Franklin Medal for his significant contribution to global affairs through co-operation and collaboration between the United States and the United Kingdom...
, a diplomat and future United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development under President 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....
, at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, popularly known as the Washington National Cathedral
Washington National Cathedral
The Washington National Cathedral, officially named the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church located in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. Of neogothic design, it is the sixth-largest cathedral in the world, the second-largest in...
. In 1981, their three children (Kenney's grandchildren), donated to St. John's Church Lafayette Square a stained glass window in the Streators' honor. Kenney's grand-daughter Elinor Streator had a society wedding in 1986.