Norman Mineta

During World War II, the Mineta family was interned for several years at "Area 24, 7th Barrack, Unit B" in the Heart Mountain internment camp near Cody, Wyoming. While interned he was a Boy Scout where he met fellow scout Alan Simpson (later a future US Senator) who lived in the nearby town.

Graduated in 1953 from the University of California, Berkeley's School of Business Administration with a degree in business administration.

In 1967 Mayor Ron James appointed Mineta to a vacant San Jose City Council seat. In 1969, he was elected to City Council on an open ballot. During that term he was elected Vice Mayor by fellow councilors.

In 1971 he was elected Mayor of San Jose, winning over 60% of the vote. He served in office until 1975.

In 1974 Mineta ran for the United States House of Representatives in California's 13th Congressional District winning with 52% of the vote. He was re-elected 10 more times.

Congressman Mineta along with Congressman Bob Matsui, Congressman Barney Frank and others shepherded the passage of H.R. 442 while Senator Spark Matsunaga who got 71 co-sponsors for the Senate bill was instrumental in the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which officially apologized for and redressed the injustices endured by Japanese Americans during World War II.

Congressman Mineta was a key author of the landmark Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991.

While in Congress he co-founded the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and served as its first chair. Mineta served as chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure between 1992 and 1994. He chaired the committee's aviation subcommittee between 1981 and 1988, and chaired its Surface Transportation Subcommittee from 1989 to 1991.

In 1995 Congressman Mineta resigned his seat mid-term to accept a position as Vice President with Lockheed Martin.

Mineta chaired the National Civil Aviation Review Commission, which in 1997 issued recommendations on reducing traffic congestion and reducing the aviation accident rate. Many of the commission's recommendations were adopted by the Clinton administration.

In 2000 Mineta was appointed by President Clinton as the U.S. Secretary of Commerce.

In 2001 President George W. Bush appointed Mineta United States Secretary of Transportation. He served in that position until 2006.

In 2004 Mineta received the Tony Jannus Award for his distinguished contributions to commercial air transportation.

In July 2006 Mineta joined Hill & Knowlton as Vice Chairman.

In 2007 the Japanese government conferred Mineta the Grand Cordon, Order of the Rising Sun.

Mineta served as the keynote speaker at the University of California, Berkeley's December Graduates Convocation on December 13, 2009.

In 2010 he was named as Vice Chairman of L&L Energy (LLEN).

On April 30, 2011, Mineta served as the commencement speaker at Grand Valley State University's afternoon ceremony.