Peter G. Peterson
Peter G. Peterson | |
|---|---|
| Chairman of the Council on Foreign Relations | |
| In office September 1, 1985 – June 30, 2007 | |
| Preceded by | David Rockefeller |
| Succeeded by | Carla Hills Robert Rubin |
| 20th United States Secretary of Commerce | |
| In office February 29, 1972 – February 1, 1973 | |
| President | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | Maurice Stans |
| Succeeded by | Frederick B. Dent |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Peter Petropoulos June 5, 1926 Kearney, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Died | March 20, 2018 (aged 91) New York City, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses | Kris Krengel
(m. 1948; div. 1950)Sally Hornbogen
(m. 1953; div. 1979) |
| Children | 5, including Holly |
| Education | Northwestern University (BA) University of Chicago (MBA) |
Peter George Peterson (June 5, 1926 – March 20, 2018) was an American investment banker who served as United States Secretary of Commerce from 1972 to 1973 during the administration of President Richard Nixon. Peterson was also chairman and CEO of Bell & Howell from 1963 to 1971. From 1973 to 1984, he was chairman and CEO of Lehman Brothers. In 1985, he co-founded the private equity firm the Blackstone Group, and served as chairman. In the same year, Peterson became chairman of the Council on Foreign Relations, a position he held until his retirement in 2007, after which he was named chairman emeritus. In 2008, Peterson was ranked 149th on the "Forbes 400 Richest Americans" with a net worth of $2.8 billion. He was also known as founder and principal funder of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, which is dedicated to promoting fiscal austerity.