William Edward Simon (1927–2000) was an American businessman, philanthropist, and government official, serving as the 63rd U.S. Secretary of the Treasury (1974–77) under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. A strong advocate of free-market capitalism, he shaped U.S. economic policy in the 1970s.
Born in Paterson, New Jersey, he earned a B.A. from Lafayette College (1952.) He began his finance career at Union Securities, later becoming a senior partner at Salomon Brothers, specializing in government and municipal bonds. His financial expertise led to his appointment as Deputy Treasury Secretary (1973) before assuming the top role in 1974.
Beyond government service, Simon was a prominent investor, serving on the boards of Xerox, Citibank, Halliburton, and United Technologies. He also chaired the U.S. Olympic Committee (1981–85,) supporting American athletes.
Simon authored books on economics, fiscal responsibility, and conservatism, including A Time for Truth (1978,) A Time for Action (1980,) and A Time for Reflection: An Autobiography (2003.)
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by William E. Simon
Freedom is strangely ephemeral. It is something like breathing; one only becomes acutely aware of its importance when one is choking.
—William E. Simon
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