Federico Peña facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Federico Peña
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| 8th United States Secretary of Energy | |
| In office March 12, 1997 – June 30, 1998 |
|
| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Hazel R. O'Leary |
| Succeeded by | Bill Richardson |
| 12th United States Secretary of Transportation | |
| In office January 21, 1993 – February 14, 1997 |
|
| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Andrew Card |
| Succeeded by | Rodney E. Slater |
| 41st Mayor of Denver | |
| In office July 2, 1983 – July 15, 1991 |
|
| Preceded by | William H. McNichols Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Wellington Webb |
| Member of the Colorado House of Representatives | |
| In office January 3, 1979 – July 2, 1983 |
|
| Preceded by | Ruben A. Valdez |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Federico Fabian Peña
March 15, 1947 Laredo, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 3 |
| Education | University of Texas at Austin (BA, JD) |
Federico Fabian Peña (born March 15, 1947) is an American politician and lawyer. He held important roles in the United States government. He served as the Secretary of Transportation and later as the Secretary of Energy under President Bill Clinton. Before that, he was the mayor of Denver, Colorado.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Federico Peña was born in Laredo, Texas, in 1947. He went to the University of Texas at Austin. There, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1969. He then studied law and received his law degree in 1972.
Political Career
After finishing his education, Peña moved to Colorado. He began working as a lawyer there. His career in public service soon began.
Serving in Colorado
In 1979, Peña was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives. He was a member of the Democratic Party. He quickly became a leader among the Democrats in the House.
Mayor of Denver
In 1983, Federico Peña ran for mayor of Denver. He won the election, becoming the first Hispanic mayor of the city. He was re-elected for a second term in 1987.
During his time as mayor, Peña helped Denver grow. He played a key role in bringing the Colorado Rockies baseball team to the city. He also had a vision for Denver called "Imagine a Great City." This vision led to many improvements. These included a new convention center and a modernized shopping area. He also helped expand the city's library and performing arts center.
One of his biggest achievements was leading the effort to build Denver International Airport. A major road connecting the airport to the city, Peña Boulevard, is named after him.
Working for President Clinton
After his time as mayor, Peña advised Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton. Clinton was running for president at the time. When Clinton became president, he chose Peña for a top job.
Secretary of Transportation
From 1993 to 1997, Federico Peña served as the United States Secretary of Transportation. In this role, he was in charge of all transportation matters for the country. This included roads, air travel, and public transport.
In 1995, a government agency looked into a contract given to a company Peña used to work for. However, Peña had already left that company before the contract was given. The investigation found no issues and was closed.
Secretary of Energy
Even though he planned to leave the government, Peña was asked to stay. He became the United States Secretary of Energy in 1997. He held this position until 1998.
As Secretary of Energy, Peña managed a large organization. It had 16,000 employees and a budget of $18 billion. He helped create a national energy plan for the Clinton administration. He also oversaw a major sale of a government oil field. This was the largest sale of its kind in U.S. history. He also supported U.S. energy companies investing in other countries.
Later Career and Family
After leaving the government, Peña returned to Denver in 1998. He joined a private investment firm called Vestar Capital Partners. He works there as a senior advisor.
Federico Peña has three children: Nelia, Cristina, and Ryan. He married Cindy Velasquez in 2006.
Peña has continued to be involved in public life. He has served on the boards of several companies. He is also part of many groups that do good work for the community. In 2007, he supported Barack Obama for president. He also helped with Obama's presidential campaign. In 2011, he joined the Board of Directors for Wells Fargo. In 2015, he was appointed to the University of Denver Board of Trustees.
See also
In Spanish: Federico Fabian Peña para niños
