The Sentient Group | Speeches
James Schlesinger (Boston – 31 March, 2008)
When he spoke to Sentient, Mr Schlesinger was senior adviser to the investment banking
firm of Lehman Brothers and chairman of the Board of Trustees of the MITRE Corporation.
He also served as counselor to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Mr Schlesinger began his US government service in 1969 as assistant director of
the Bureau of the Budget and served for a period as acting director. He left the
Bureau of the Budget in August 1971 when President Nixon selected him to become
chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission. He held that post until February 1973
when he was named director of the Central Intelligence Agency. He served in the
latter position until July 1973 when he was appointed secretary of defense. He remained
at the Defense Department until November 1975.
In 1976, President-elect Carter asked Mr Schlesinger to become assistant to the
president, charged with the responsibility of drafting a plan for the establishment
of the Department of Energy and a national energy policy. On August 5, 1977, Mr.
Schlesinger became the nation's first secretary of energy, taking the oath of office
one day after President Carter signed the legislation creating the new department.
He held that post until August 1979.
Mr Schlesinger received an A.B. summa cum laude from Harvard University in 1950
where he also received an A.M. (1952) and Ph.D. (1956).
Sergio Berensztein