James C. Miller III: Architect of Economic Policy
An exploration of a distinguished career in economic governance and public service.
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Biography
Personal Details
James Clifford Miller III was born on June 25, 1942, in Atlanta, Georgia. He is affiliated with the Republican Party and is married to DeMaris Humphries, with whom he has three children.
Education
Academic Foundation
Miller pursued higher education at prominent institutions, laying the groundwork for his career in economics and public service:
- University of Georgia: Earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Economics in 1964.
- University of Virginia: Completed a Master of Arts (MA) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Economics in 1969.
Public Service
Regulatory Leadership
Miller's career prominently features significant roles in regulatory bodies and policy oversight:
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair: Served from 1981 to 1985. He was notable as the first FTC member with a background as a career economist, rather than a legal professional.
- Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) Administrator: Held this position from April to October 1981.
- Executive Director: Led President George H. W. Bush's Presidential Task Force on Regulatory Relief.
Budgetary Oversight
As Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from October 1985 to October 1988, Miller played a critical role in managing the federal budget and advising President Ronald Reagan on fiscal policy.
Postal Service Governance
Miller contributed to the strategic direction of the United States Postal Service as a member of its Board of Governors from 2003 to 2012. He was elected Chairman of the Board for three consecutive terms (2005, 2006, and 2007).
Think Tanks & Foundations
Miller has been actively involved with influential policy research organizations:
- American Enterprise Institute: Served as a Resident Scholar (1977โ1981) and Co-Director of the Center for the Study of Government Regulation (1978โ1981).
- George Mason University: Holds positions as a Distinguished Fellow at the Center for Study of Public Choice and has served on the Board of Visitors.
- Hoover Institution (Stanford University): Affiliated as a Senior Fellow.
- Citizens for a Sound Economy: Acted as Counselor and Board Member from 1988 to 2002.
- Other Boards: Contributed to organizations including the Tax Foundation, Progress and Freedom Foundation, and various investment funds.
Consulting & Advisory Roles
Beyond direct government service, Miller has provided expertise through consulting and advisory capacities:
- Consultant: Advised Freddie Mac.
- Chairman: Led Economic Impact Analysts, Inc., a family-held consulting firm.
- Capital Analysis Group (CapAnalysis): Served as Chairman and Chairman Emeritus of this division of the law firm Howrey LLP (2003โ2006).
- Cayman Islands Task Force: Chaired an independent task force in 2009 to examine new revenue options for the Cayman Islands Government.
Key Appointments & Affiliations
Directors of OMB
James C. Miller III served as the 26th Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Key figures who have held this significant role include:
- David Stockman (1981โ1985)
- James C. Miller III (1985โ1988)
- Joe Wright (1988โ1989)
- Richard Darman (1989โ1993)
- Leon Panetta (1993โ1994)
- Alice Rivlin (1994โ1996)
- Franklin Raines (1996โ1998)
- Jack Lew (1998โ2001)
- Mitch Daniels (2001โ2003)
- Joshua Bolten (2003โ2006)
- Rob Portman (2006โ2007)
- Jim Nussle (2007โ2009)
- Peter R. Orszag (2009โ2010)
- Jack Lew (2010โ2012)
- Sylvia Mathews Burwell (2013โ2014)
- Shaun Donovan (2014โ2017)
- Mick Mulvaney (2017โ2020)
- Russell Vought (2020โ2021)
- Shalanda Young (2021โPresent)
Reagan Administration Cabinet
During his tenure in the Reagan administration, various individuals served in key cabinet positions:
- Vice President: George H. W. Bush
- Secretary of State: Alexander Haig, George Shultz
- Secretary of the Treasury: Donald Regan, James Baker, Nicholas F. Brady
- Secretary of Defense: Caspar Weinberger, Frank Carlucci
- Attorney General: William French Smith, Edwin Meese, Dick Thornburgh
- Secretary of the Interior: James G. Watt, William P. Clark Jr., Donald P. Hodel
- Secretary of Agriculture: John R. Block, Richard Lyng
- Secretary of Commerce: Malcolm Baldrige Jr., William Verity Jr.
- Secretary of Labor: Raymond J. Donovan, Bill Brock, Ann Dore McLaughlin
- Secretary of Health and Human Services: Richard Schweiker, Margaret Heckler, Otis Bowen
- Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Samuel Pierce
- Secretary of Transportation: Drew Lewis, Elizabeth Dole, James H. Burnley IV
- Secretary of Energy: James B. Edwards, Donald P. Hodel, John S. Herrington
- Secretary of Education: Terrel Bell, William Bennett, Lauro Cavazos
Federal Trade Commission Chairs
James C. Miller III served as Chair of the FTC. The commission has seen numerous leaders throughout its history:
- Member-selected (1915โ1950): Joseph E. Davies, Edward N. Hurley, William J. Harris, William Byron Colver, John Franklin Fort, Victor Murdock, Samuel Huston Thompson, Nelson B. Gaskill, Vernon W. Van Fleet, John F. Nugent, Charles W. Hunt, William E. Humphrey, Abram F. Myers, Edgar A. McCulloch, Garland Ferguson Jr., Charles H. March, William Augustus Ayres, Robert E. Freer, Ewin L. Davis, Lowell B. Mason.
- Presidential Appointments (1950โPresent): James M. Mead, Edward F. Howrey, John W. Gwynne, Earl W. Kintner, Paul Rand Dixon, Caspar Weinberger, Everette MacIntyre, Lewis A. Engman, Calvin J. Collier, Michael Pertschuk, David A. Clanton, James C. Miller III, Terry Calvani, Daniel Oliver, Janet Dempsey Steiger, Robert Pitofsky, Timothy Muris, Deborah Platt Majoras, William Kovacic, Jon Leibowitz, Edith Ramirez, Maureen Ohlhausen, Joseph Simons, Rebecca Slaughter, Lina Khan, Andrew N. Ferguson.
Political Endeavors
Senate Aspirations
Miller sought elected office, aiming to represent Virginia in the United States Senate:
- In 1994, he competed for the Republican nomination but was unsuccessful, losing at the party convention to Oliver North.
- In 1996, he again sought the Republican nomination but was defeated in the primary election by John Warner.
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