As George Washington became our first president in 1789, he turned to solid political leadership for this brand new adventure of the American republic. To help with the administration of the newly formed government, Washington collected a modestly sized group of department heads, the cabinet, to help him conduct the daily business of governing. The group consisted of Thomas Jefferson as his Secretary of State, Henry Knox, Secretary of War, and Edmund Jennings Randolph, the Attorney General (although not an official cabinet position until 1870). To round out the cabinet of four, Alexander Hamilton became the first Secretary of Treasury, and proved to be one of the most influential department secretaries of all time. Determined, organized, and visionary all describe Hamilton very well.
Dean A. Dohrman, Ph.D., Board Member and Senior Fellow
Dr. Dean Dohrman is a Missouri State Representative and a Senior Research Fellow at the American Leadership & Policy Foundation. Dohrman is also a life-long educator and an agricultural, business, and trade expert.