Simon, William Edward

Related Category: U.S. History: Biographies

1927–2000, U.S. secretary of the treasury (1974–77), b. Paterson, N.J. He served (1946–48) in the U.S. army in Japan, graduated from Lafayette College (1952), and became a Wall Street bond dealer. Recognized in the financial world as a leading expert on government bonds, Simon served (1973–74) as deputy secretary of the Treasury under President Richard Nixon before succeeding George Shultz as treasury secretary. He also briefly directed (1973–74) the Federal Energy Office during the critical months of the Arab oil embargo. He later headed the U.S. Olympic committee and made millions investing in leveraged buyouts during the 1980s.