Current Position
Secretary Norman Y. Mineta provides counsel and strategic advice to Hill & Knowlton clients on a wide range of business and political issues. Mineta is well known for his work in the areas of transportation – including aviation, surface transportation, and infrastructure – and national security. He is recognized for his accomplishments in economic development, science and technology policy, foreign and domestic trade, budgetary issues and civil rights.

Prior History
Mineta’s career in public service has been both distinguished and unique. For almost thirty years, Mineta represented San Jose, California, first on the City Council, then as mayor, and then as a Member of Congress. Throughout that time, Mineta was an advocate of the burgeoning technology industry. He worked to encourage new industries and spur job growth, and he supported the development of the infrastructure to accommodate the industry and its tremendous growth.

Mineta served as the chairman of the House Transportation and Public Works Committee from 1992 to 1994 and chaired the Subcommittee on Aviation and the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation. He was the primary author of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991. In 2000, Mineta was appointed by President Bill Clinton as the United States Secretary of Commerce. There Mineta was known for his work on technology issues, for achieving international cooperation and intergovernmental coordination on complex fisheries issues, and streamlining the patent and trademark process.

Mineta was appointed Secretary of Transportation by President George W. Bush, where he served until 2006. Following the horrific terrorist acts of September 11, 2001, Mineta guided the creation of the Transportation Security Administration – an agency with more than 65,000 employees – the largest mobilization of a new federal agency since World War II. Mineta was also a vice president of Lockheed Martin where he oversaw the first successful implementation of the EZ-Pass system in New York State.

Other Information
Recognized for his leadership, Mineta has received numerous awards including the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the highest civilian honor in the United States – and the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy, which is awarded for significant public service of enduring value to aviation in the United States. While in Congress, he was the co-founder of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and Chair of the National Civil Aviation Review Commission in 1997.