James E. Connor

James E. Connor (October 4, 1939 - October 30, 1994)^[1] was an American political aide who served as White House Cabinet Secretary and Staff Secretary to the President under Gerald Ford.

James Connor
White House Staff Secretary
In office June 9, 1975 – January 20, 1977
President	Gerald Ford
Preceded by	Jerry H. Jones
Succeeded by	Richard Hutcheson
White House Cabinet Secretary
In office June 9, 1975 – January 20, 1977
President	Gerald Ford
Preceded by	???
Succeeded by	Jack Watson
Personal details
Born	(1939-10-04)October 4, 1939 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	October 30, 1994(1994-10-30) (aged 55) Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Education	Columbia University (BA, MA, PhD)

Biography

Connor was born on October 4, 1939, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He received his B.A. degree in 1961, M.A. in 1963, and Ph.D. from Columbia University.

From 1968 to 1969, he was an assistant professor at Columbia University. He was named a White House fellow in September 1968 and served a year in the Bureau of the Budget as Staff Assistant to the Director.^[2]

During 1969 and 1970, he was a Senior Associate with Cresap, McCormick and Paget Inc., a New York-based management consulting firm.

Between 1970 and 1971 he was Director of Planning and Program Analysis in the Office of Equal Opportunity, serving under Donald Rumsfeld. He served as Special Assistant for Policy Development to the Secretary of Commerce Maurice Stans from 1971 to 1972.^[1][2]

He joined the Atomic Energy Commission as Director of Office of Planning and Analysis in 1972. He was brought into the Ford White House by Assistant to the President Donald Rumsfeld in 1974. His first assignment was to review presidential scheduling and advance operations in the White House Personnel Office.^[2]

Connor was appointed to White House Cabinet Secretary by President Gerald Ford on January 6, 1975. As Cabinet Secretary, Connor was the main intermediary between the White House and Cabinet officials and oversaw the organization of Cabinet meetings by preparing agendas, assembling background papers, accumulating meeting minutes, confirming attendance by Cabinet officers and White House aides, and coordinating follow-up activities.

He also took over Jerry H. Jones's role as Staff Secretary on June 9, 1975. his duties included monitoring the flow of paperwork to and from the president, including special presidential courier service outside the Washington, D.C. area. He also notified White House staff, Cabinet officials and other senior level advisers of the final decisions and comments on documents sent to the president and on certain personnel appointments. He left office in January 1977.^[3]

He returned to the private sector by serving as assistant to the Chairman of First Boston Corporation and later became a managing director of the company.

Personal life

Connor was married to the former Judith M. Turner of Toronto. He died on October 30 at a hospital in Dallas after surgery for a brain tumor.^[4]

References

1. Appropriations, United States Congress House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on the Treasury, Postal Service, and General Government (1975). Treasury, Postal Service, and General Government Appropriations for Fiscal Year 1978: Hearings Before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, Ninety-fifth Congress, First Session. U.S. Government Printing Office.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
2. "Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum". www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
3. "Secretary to Cabinet Named". The New York Times. 1975-01-04. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
4. "DEATHS". The Washington Post. November 5, 1994. Retrieved June 29, 2021.