William M. Daley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William M. Daley
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Official portrait, 2011
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| 24th White House Chief of Staff | |
| In office January 13, 2011 – January 27, 2012 |
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| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Pete Rouse (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Jack Lew |
| 32nd United States Secretary of Commerce | |
| In office January 30, 1997 – July 19, 2000 |
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| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Mickey Kantor |
| Succeeded by | Norman Mineta |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
William Michael Daley
August 9, 1948 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Bernadette Keller |
| Children | 4 |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | John P. Daley (brother) Richard M. Daley (brother) Patrick Daley Thompson (nephew) Patrick R. Daley (nephew) |
| Education | Loyola University Chicago (BA) University of Illinois Chicago (JD) |
William Michael Daley (born August 9, 1948) is an American politician and former banker. He served as the 24th White House Chief of Staff for President Barack Obama from January 2011 to January 2012. Before that, he was the 32nd U.S. Secretary of Commerce for President Bill Clinton from 1997 to 2000.
Daley also worked for large banks like JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Wells Fargo. He ran for Governor of Illinois in 2014 and for Mayor of Chicago in 2019.
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Early Life and Education
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William Daley was born on August 9, 1948, in Chicago. He was the youngest of seven children. His father, Richard J. Daley, was the Mayor of Chicago for many years, from 1955 to 1976. His brother, Richard M. Daley, also became Mayor of Chicago later.
Daley graduated from St. Ignatius College Prep in 1966. He earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from Loyola University Chicago. He then received a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from John Marshall Law School. After law school, he worked as a private lawyer.
Professional Career
Daley held important roles in the banking world. He was a leader at the Amalgamated Bank of Chicago from 1989 to 1993. After that, he returned to practicing law as a partner at the firm Mayer, Brown & Platt.
In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed Daley to the board of Fannie Mae, a large housing finance company. He served there until 1997.
Secretary of Commerce
Daley became the U.S. Secretary of Commerce in 1997, serving until 2000. In this role, he helped manage the 2000 census. He also worked on programs to help minority-owned businesses and supported economic growth. He stepped down from this role to help with Al Gore's presidential campaign.
After his time as Secretary of Commerce, Daley continued his career in business. He became President of SBC Communications in 2001. In 2004, he became Midwest Chairman for JPMorgan Chase. He also served on the boards of major companies like Boeing and Merck & Co..
From 2019 to 2023, Daley was the Vice Chairman of Public Affairs for Wells Fargo, another large bank.
Political Career
William Daley was very involved in politics, especially helping his family. He managed his brother Richard's campaign for Cook County State's Attorney in 1980. This win was important for the Daley family's influence in Chicago.
Clinton Administration Roles
In 1993, William M. Daley became a Special Counsel to President Bill Clinton. He played a key part in getting the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) approved. This agreement helped trade between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Daley worked with the White House, Congress, and businesses to gain support for NAFTA. His work showed he was good at handling complex political situations.
As Secretary of Commerce from 1997 to 2000, Daley focused on boosting U.S. exports and creating more trade opportunities. He worked to make the United States more competitive in global markets.
Presidential Campaigns
Daley left his role as Secretary of Commerce to lead Vice President Al Gore's presidential campaign in 2000. He was later shown in the movie Recount, which was about the close 2000 presidential election in Florida.
During the 2008 Democratic presidential primary elections, Daley supported Barack Obama. After Obama won, Daley was part of the team that helped prepare for the new presidency.
Obama Administration Role
On January 6, 2011, President Barack Obama chose Daley to be his next White House Chief of Staff. He started this important job on January 13, 2011. As Chief of Staff, Daley was a top advisor to the President.
In March 2011, Daley spoke for the Obama administration about rising oil prices. He said the government would consider using the national oil reserves if needed to help the U.S. economy.
Daley was in the famous White House Situation Room photograph taken on May 1, 2011. This picture showed the U.S. national security team watching the mission that led to the death of Osama bin Laden.
In January 2012, it was announced that Daley would step down as Obama's chief of staff. Jack Lew took over the role.
After the Obama Administration
After leaving the White House, Daley considered running for Governor of Illinois in 2014. On June 10, 2013, he announced he was exploring a campaign. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg supported Daley for governor. However, on September 16, 2013, Daley decided to leave the race, saying it was due to personal challenges.
After the 2014 election, Daley helped with the transition team for the new Governor, Bruce Rauner.
2019 Chicago Mayoral Campaign
In 2018, after Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced he would not run again, Daley decided to run for mayor of Chicago. This meant a member of the Daley family had run in many Chicago mayoral elections over the years.
Daley suggested some ideas for the city, like possibly adding a tax for people who commute into the city for work. He also proposed making the Chicago City Council smaller.
Daley received support from the business community in Chicago. His campaign also raised a lot of money, more than many of his opponents. A major supporter was Illinois billionaire Kenneth C. Griffin.
In the election, Daley finished third and did not move on to the final round of voting.
Personal Life
In 2010, William Daley married Bernadette Keller. She is involved in health and ethics, and is a founding member of the Chicago Transplant Ethics Consortium.
The couple previously owned an apartment in the Park Tower in Chicago, which they sold in 2015. They currently live in a condo on North Lake Shore Drive.
William Daley has four children. His three adult children and three granddaughters all live in Chicago.
