{{Short description|American government official (1966–2024)}} {{use mdy dates|date=May 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Raymond M. Jefferson III | image = Ray Jefferson.jpg | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1966|06|13|mf=yes}} | birth_place = Albany, New York | office1 = Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans' Employment and Training | president1 = Barack Obama | term_start1 = 2009 | term_end1 = 2011 | education = United States Military Academy (BS)<br/>Harvard University (MPA, MBA) | death_date = {{death date and age|2024|10|13|1966|06|13|mf=yes}} | death_place = | relations = | spouse = | children = | branch = {{flag|United States Army}} | unit = 3rd Ranger Battalion<br>1st Special Forces Group }} '''Raymond M. Jefferson III''' (June 13, 1966 – October 13, 2024)<ref name="obit">{{cite web |url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/guilderland-native-veteran-high-ranking-role-dol-19862855.php |title=Raymond Jefferson III, Guilderland native, veteran with roles in private and public sector, dies at 58 |first=H. Rose |last=Schneider |date=October 29, 2024 |work=Times Union |access-date=11 December 2024 }}</ref> was an American government official and military officer who was assistant secretary of labor for the Veterans' Employment and Training Service.<ref name="stltoday">{{Cite news |last=Lambrecht |first=Bill |date=2011-07-28 |title=McCaskill criticizes Labor Department contracting 'boondoggle' |work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/mccaskill-criticizes-labor-department-contracting-boondoggle/article_94746384-b932-11e0-b6a3-001a4bcf6878.html |access-date=2020-11-01}}</ref><ref name="WashPost">{{Cite news |last=Davidson |first=Joe |date=2020-09-23 |title=He was forced to resign after a government report criticized him. Eight years later, the government took it back. |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/inspector-general-takes-back-report/2020/09/23/f9c3397e-f9d1-11ea-a510-f57d8ce76e11_story.html |access-date=2020-10-31 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> He graduated from the United States Military Academy and served in the United States Army.<ref name="DoSAward">{{Cite press release |title=Secretary of State Colin L. Powell Honors Two U.S. Veterans with First Harrison H. Schmitt Leadership Awards for Fulbright Alumni |url=https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2003/22831.htm |access-date=2020-11-01 |publisher=United States Department of State}}</ref> During a training session as an Army officer with Special Forces, he lost all of his fingers on his left hand while attempting to protect his teammates from a defective hand grenade that was detonating prematurely.<ref name="WashPost" />
In 2009, he was appointed to his position at the United States Department of Labor. He resigned in 2011 after an Inspector General's report concluded he had violated federal procurement rules.<ref name="stltoday" /> In 2019, the Inspector General reversed its ruling, stating that the claims were unsubstantiated.<ref name="WashPost" /> From 2011 until his death in 2024, he worked as the sole proprietor of a global leadership consultancy company.<ref name="WashPost" /><ref name=obit/>
==Early life and education== Jefferson's father was a corporate director and his mother worked at Macy's.<ref name="WashPost" /> He was raised in Albany, New York<ref name="HawaiiPR">{{Cite press release |title=Governor Lingle Appoints Ray Jefferson as Deputy Director of DBEDT |date=2003-01-27 |url=http://archive.lingle.hawaii.gov/gov/news/releases/2003/News_Item.2006-01-19.5739 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120708193646/http://archive.lingle.hawaii.gov/gov/news/releases/2003/News_Item.2006-01-19.5739 |archive-date=2012-07-08 |access-date=2020-10-31}}</ref> and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology.<ref name="DoSAward"/><ref name="Paths 244">{{Cite book |last1=Abramson |first1=Mark A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ToFhGuc87w0C&pg=244 |title=Paths to Making a Difference: Leading In Government |last2=Lawrence |first2=Paul R. |date=2012 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers |isbn=978-1-4422-2388-2 |pages=244 |via=Google Books}}</ref> Jefferson earned a Master of Public Administration degree in strategic management from the Kennedy School of Government, graduating with distinction as a Littauer Fellow.<ref name="HawaiiPR" /><ref name="Paths 244" /> He also earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and received the Dean's Award for exceptional leadership and service.<ref name="HawaiiPR" /><ref name="LiveMint">{{Cite news |last=Dawra |first=Preeti |date=2014-07-18 |title=Ray Jefferson Leading by example |work=Mint |url=https://www.livemint.com/Politics/pV1GBvwmiNnlh0KNbodwMM/Ray-Jefferson--Leading-by-example.html |access-date=2020-11-01}}</ref>
== Career == Jefferson was an army officer with the infantry and Special Forces, as well as the Presidential Honor Guard, 3rd Ranger Battalion and 1st Special Forces Group.<ref name="HawaiiPR" /> In 1999, he lost all five fingers on his left hand while attempting to protect his teammates from a hand grenade detonating prematurely during Special Forces training.<ref name="WashPost"/> He recuperated from his injuries at the Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii.<ref name="HawaiiPR" />
Jefferson was a White House Fellow from 2000 to 2001 as a special assistant to the United States secretary of commerce and the under secretary of state for management.<ref name="HawaiiPR"/> He was then a Fulbright Fellow in Singapore studying leadership within Asian contexts.<ref name="LiveMint" />
In January 2003, Jefferson was appointed deputy director of Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.<ref name="HawaiiPR" /> In July 2003, he was awarded the Harrison H. Schmitt Leadership Award for dedication to public service.<ref name="DoSAward"/><ref>{{Cite web |date=2003-07-28 |title=Jefferson wins leadership award |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2003/07/28/daily27.html |access-date=2020-11-01 |website=Pacific Business News}}</ref> He also worked in Singapore as a leadership consultant at McKinsey & Company, developing leadership training and development programs for his clients.<ref>{{Cite press release |date=2010-04-05 |title=U.S. Department of Labor Assistant Secretary for Veterans Services to Speak at Columbia University School of Social Work Commencement |url=http://www.columbia.edu/cu/ssw/news/apr10/rayjefferson.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528124658/http://www.columbia.edu/cu/ssw/news/apr10/rayjefferson.html |archive-date=2010-05-28 |access-date=2020-10-31 |publisher=Columbia University}}</ref>
In 2009, Jefferson was appointed by President Obama as assistant secretary for the Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) of the United States Department of Labor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-111shrg51327/html/CHRG-111shrg51327.htm|title= Nomination Hearings of the 111th Congress: Part 2 |publisher=US Government}}<br>- {{Cite web |last=Igel |first=Lee |date=May 27, 2011 |title=Sports And Helping Military Veterans Transition To The Private Sector |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/sportsmoney/2011/05/27/sports-and-helping-military-veterans-transition-to-the-private-sector/ |access-date=2021-02-14 |website=Forbes }}</ref>
Jefferson resigned from his position as assistant secretary on July 25, 2011, following accusations that he had violated federal procurement rules.<ref name="stltoday" /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/raymond-jefferson-leaves-labor-department-after-ethics-finding/2011/07/28/gIQA3gdwfI_story.html |title=Raymond Jefferson leaves Labor Department after ethics finding |first=Steve |last=Vogel |date=28 July 2011 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=17 October 2011}}</ref> An Inspector General's report alleged that two whistleblowers had reported that Jefferson directed VETS employees to award contracts to the management consultant Stewart Liff at a higher cost than could have been procured in an open selection process.<ref name="stltoday"/> On September 26, 2019, the inspector general reversed a predecessor's finding, stating that the accusations could not be substantiated. The government also agreed to pay some of Jefferson's legal fees.<ref name="WashPost" />
Jefferson was the sole proprietor of Jefferson Group,<ref>{{cite web |title=Leadership on a Global Scale | date=July 6, 2017 |url=https://www.alumni.hbs.edu/stories/Pages/story-bulletin.aspx?num=6332 |publisher=Harvard Business School |access-date=December 9, 2020}}</ref> a global leadership consultancy based in Singapore.<ref name="WashPost" />
In March 2022, Jefferson was nominated by President Joe Biden as under secretary of veterans affairs for benefits.<ref>{{Cite press release |date=2022-03-09 |title=President Biden Announces Key Nominees |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/03/09/president-biden-announces-key-nominees-5/ |access-date=2022-03-09 |publisher=The White House }}</ref> However, his nomination was withdrawn on July 11, 2022, after stalling in committee over Republicans' objections.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2022/07/19/nominee-for-top-va-benefits-job-withdraws-restarting-search/ |title=Nominee for top VA benefits job withdraws, restarting search |work=Military Times |first=Leo |last=Shane III |date=2022-07-19 |access-date=2022-07-30}}</ref>
In 2022, Jefferson was appointed by President Joe Biden as a Member of the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships.<ref>{{cite press release |last1=The White House|title=President Biden Announces Key Appointments to Boards and Commissions|url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/26/president-biden-announces-key-appointments-to-boards-and-commissions-6/|website=White House|publisher=The White House|access-date=September 18, 2023 |date=26 August 2022 }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|2}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jefferson, Ray}} Category:Harvard Kennedy School alumni Category:United States Military Academy alumni Category:Harvard Business School alumni Category:United States Department of Labor officials Category:Obama administration personnel Category:Biden administration personnel Category:1966 births Category:2024 deaths Category:People from Guilderland, New York