Ray Jefferson
Encyclopedia
Raymond Jefferson was the Assistant Secretary for Veterans' Employment and Training Service
(VETS) between August 10, 2009 and July 25, 2011 during the administration of President Barack Obama
. Prior to joining the Department of Labor, Jefferson worked as Leadership Consultant with McKinsey & Company in Singapore
. Jefferson resigned on July 25, 2011, following a contracting scandal.
Jefferson graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point with a major in leadership. He served as an Army Officer with the infantry, Rangers and Special Forces, with leadership positions in the U.S. Presidential Honor Guard, 3rd Ranger Battalion and 1st Special Forces Group. While attempting to protect his teammates from a hand grenade detonating prematurely during classified Special Forces training, he lost all five fingers on his left hand. After recuperating in Hawaii, Ray attended Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, earning an MPA in Strategic Management with Distinction as a Littauer Fellow. He then earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and was recognized with the Dean's Award for exceptional leadership and service. Upon graduation, he was selected as a White House Fellow and worked as a Special Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. Jefferson then served as a Fulbright Fellow in Singapore, where he studied leadership within Asian contexts. Afterwards, he served as the Deputy Director for the State of Hawaii’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT).
Jefferson was selected by then-Secretary of State Colin Powell as one of the two inaugural recipients of the Harrison H. Schmitt Fulbright Alumni Leadership Award for dedication to public service. He is a member of the Asia Society, the Fulbright Association, the NAACP and the Special Forces Association. Born and raised in Guilderland, New York, his home is Honolulu, Hawaii.
. According to the Washington Post, Jefferson denied giving any special treatment for Liff, telling investigators that he believed Liff could help transform the culture at VETS. In a separate response, Liff asserted he received no special treatment and conformed to all government contracting requirements and work performance.
Veterans' Employment and Training Service
The United States Office of the Assistant Secretary for Veterans' Employment and Training was established by Secretary's Order No. 5-81 in December 1981....
(VETS) between August 10, 2009 and July 25, 2011 during the administration of President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
. Prior to joining the Department of Labor, Jefferson worked as Leadership Consultant with McKinsey & Company in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. Jefferson resigned on July 25, 2011, following a contracting scandal.
Background
Prior to being appointed to this role by President Barack Obama, he served as a Leadership Consultant with McKinsey & Company in Singapore where he created and delivered leadership training and development programs for clients and offices throughout Asia. His focus areas were organizational change, inspirational leadership, top team development and peak performance.Jefferson graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point with a major in leadership. He served as an Army Officer with the infantry, Rangers and Special Forces, with leadership positions in the U.S. Presidential Honor Guard, 3rd Ranger Battalion and 1st Special Forces Group. While attempting to protect his teammates from a hand grenade detonating prematurely during classified Special Forces training, he lost all five fingers on his left hand. After recuperating in Hawaii, Ray attended Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, earning an MPA in Strategic Management with Distinction as a Littauer Fellow. He then earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and was recognized with the Dean's Award for exceptional leadership and service. Upon graduation, he was selected as a White House Fellow and worked as a Special Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. Jefferson then served as a Fulbright Fellow in Singapore, where he studied leadership within Asian contexts. Afterwards, he served as the Deputy Director for the State of Hawaii’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT).
Jefferson was selected by then-Secretary of State Colin Powell as one of the two inaugural recipients of the Harrison H. Schmitt Fulbright Alumni Leadership Award for dedication to public service. He is a member of the Asia Society, the Fulbright Association, the NAACP and the Special Forces Association. Born and raised in Guilderland, New York, his home is Honolulu, Hawaii.
Controversy
Jefferson resigned from his position as Assistant Secretary at the Department of Labor in July of 2011 following accusations that he violated federal procurement rules. An Inspector General's report alleged there were complaints by employees and government contractors that Jefferson violated procurement policies associated with directing VETS employees into awarding contracts to management consultant Stewart LiffStewart Liff
Stewart Liff is an American author and government management consultant known for his work in Human Resources Management and Visual Management. Liff has served in various senior government personnel management positions and as a consultant to government agencies and businesses...
. According to the Washington Post, Jefferson denied giving any special treatment for Liff, telling investigators that he believed Liff could help transform the culture at VETS. In a separate response, Liff asserted he received no special treatment and conformed to all government contracting requirements and work performance.