C. Fred Bergsten
Encyclopedia
C. Fred Bergsten is an American economist, author, and political adviser. He has served as Assistant Secretary for International Affairs at the U.S. Treasury Department
and has been director of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, formerly the Institute for International Economics, since its founding in 1981. In addition to his academic work he makes his opinions known to the policy making community and engages with the public with television appearances
writing for influential periodicals such as Foreign Affairs
magazine
and by writing books.
from Central Methodist University
, during which time he pledged a fraternity, Alpha Phi Gamma, and then earned a MA
, MALD, and Ph.D.
from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He was a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations
from 1967 to 1968. In 1969 he became Assistant for International Economic Affairs to Henry Kissinger
at the National Security Council
where he coordinated US foreign economic policy until 1971. From 1972 to 1976 he was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution
.
From 1977 to 1981 he served at the U.S. Treasury Department as Assistant Secretary for International Affairs during the Carter
administration.
Bergsten was a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
during 1981. In that same year he founded the Washington-based think-tank, the Institute for International Economics; he remains director of that now renamed organization. He is a close associate of David Rockefeller
, who is on the board of directors of the Peterson Institute.
In 1991, he was elected Chairman of the Competitiveness Policy Council
, and he led the Council for several years with distinction. During his tenure, the Council issued four reports to the President and the Congress. From 1992 through 1995, he was also Chairman of the Eminent Persons Group of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, whose recommendations for achieving "free and open trade and investment in the region" by 2020 were agreed by the Leaders of the member economies.
In 2001, he co-founded the Center for Global Development
along with Edward W. Scott, Jr.
and Nancy Birdsall
. He is now a member of the President's Advisory Committee on Trade Policy and Negotiations (ACTPN) and co-chairman of the Private Sector Advisory Group to the Trade Policy Forum composed of the Trade Ministers of India and the United States.
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
and has been director of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, formerly the Institute for International Economics, since its founding in 1981. In addition to his academic work he makes his opinions known to the policy making community and engages with the public with television appearances
writing for influential periodicals such as Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs is an American magazine and website on international relations and U.S. foreign policy published since 1922 by the Council on Foreign Relations six times annually...
magazine
and by writing books.
Education and career
Bergsten received a B.A.Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Central Methodist University
Central Methodist University
Central Methodist University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university located in Fayette, Missouri. CMU is an accredited four year institution of higher education and offers masters, bachelors, and associates degrees...
, during which time he pledged a fraternity, Alpha Phi Gamma, and then earned a MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
, MALD, and Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He was a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations is an American nonprofit nonpartisan membership organization, publisher, and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs...
from 1967 to 1968. In 1969 he became Assistant for International Economic Affairs to Henry Kissinger
Henry Kissinger
Heinz Alfred "Henry" Kissinger is a German-born American academic, political scientist, diplomat, and businessman. He is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He served as National Security Advisor and later concurrently as Secretary of State in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and...
at the National Security Council
United States National Security Council
The White House National Security Council in the United States is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and Cabinet officials and is part of the Executive Office of the...
where he coordinated US foreign economic policy until 1971. From 1972 to 1976 he was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution
Brookings Institution
The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, D.C., in the United States. One of Washington's oldest think tanks, Brookings conducts research and education in the social sciences, primarily in economics, metropolitan policy, governance, foreign policy, and...
.
From 1977 to 1981 he served at the U.S. Treasury Department as Assistant Secretary for International Affairs during the Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
administration.
Bergsten was a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace is a foreign-policy think tank based in Washington, D.C. The organization describes itself as being dedicated to advancing cooperation between nations and promoting active international engagement by the United States...
during 1981. In that same year he founded the Washington-based think-tank, the Institute for International Economics; he remains director of that now renamed organization. He is a close associate of David Rockefeller
David Rockefeller
David Rockefeller, Sr. is the current patriarch of the Rockefeller family. He is the youngest and only surviving child of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, and the only surviving grandchild of oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller, founder of Standard Oil. His five siblings were...
, who is on the board of directors of the Peterson Institute.
In 1991, he was elected Chairman of the Competitiveness Policy Council
Competitiveness Policy Council
The Competitiveness Policy Council was an independent federal advisory committee chartered in 1988 to advise the President and the Congress on more effective policies to promote U.S. competitiveness...
, and he led the Council for several years with distinction. During his tenure, the Council issued four reports to the President and the Congress. From 1992 through 1995, he was also Chairman of the Eminent Persons Group of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, whose recommendations for achieving "free and open trade and investment in the region" by 2020 were agreed by the Leaders of the member economies.
In 2001, he co-founded the Center for Global Development
Center for Global Development
The Center for Global Development is a non-profit think tank based in Washington, D.C. that focuses on international development. It was founded in November 2001 by former senior U.S. official Edward W. Scott, director of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, C. Fred Bergsten, and...
along with Edward W. Scott, Jr.
Edward W. Scott
Edward W. "Ed" Scott, Jr. is an American businessman, philanthropist, and former senior United States government official. Along with Bill Coleman and Alfred Chuang, he founded enterprise software company BEA Systems....
and Nancy Birdsall
Nancy Birdsall
Nancy Birdsall is the founding president of the Center for Global Development in Washington, DC, USA, and former executive vice-president of the Inter-American Development Bank. She co-founded CGD in November 2001 with C. Fred Bergsten and Edward W. Scott, Jr...
. He is now a member of the President's Advisory Committee on Trade Policy and Negotiations (ACTPN) and co-chairman of the Private Sector Advisory Group to the Trade Policy Forum composed of the Trade Ministers of India and the United States.
Personal
Bergsten is married to Virginia Wood Bergsten. They have one son who grew up to be a doctor. Bergsten's wife also has three nephews and nieces: Grant Prater, (age 13) and Bryce Prater, (age 10) and Camryn Prater. (Age 7)External links
- C. Fred Bergsten at the Peterson Institute website.