Under Secretaries of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs

Title: Under Secretary of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs
Name: William L. Clayton
State of Residency: Texas
Non-career appointee
Appointment: Aug 3, 1946
Entry on Duty: Aug 17, 1946
Termination of Appointment: Oct 15, 1947

Title: Under Secretary of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs
Name: C. Douglas Dillon
State of Residency: New Jersey
Non-career appointee
Appointment: Jun 30, 1958
Entry on Duty: Jul 1, 1958
Termination of Appointment: Jun 11, 1959


Title: Under Secretary of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs
Name: George W. Ball
State of Residency: District of Columbia
Non-career appointee
Appointment: Jan 30, 1961
Entry on Duty: Feb 1, 1961
Termination of Appointment: Dec 3, 1961

Title: Under Secretary of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs
Name: Thomas C. Mann
State of Residency: Texas
Foreign Service officer
Appointment: Mar 11, 1965
Entry on Duty: Mar 18, 1965
Termination of Appointment: May 31, 1966

Title: Under Secretary of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs
Name: William J. Casey
State of Residency: New York
Non-career appointee
Appointment: Feb 2, 1973
Entry on Duty: Feb 2, 1973
Termination of Appointment: Mar 14, 1974

Title: Under Secretary of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs
Name: Charles W. Robinson
State of Residency: California
Non-career appointee
Appointment: Dec 9, 1974
Entry on Duty: Jan 3, 1975
Termination of Appointment: Apr 9, 1976
Note: An earlier nomination of Oct 16, 1974 was not acted upon by the Senate.

Title: Under Secretary of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs
Name: William D. Rogers
State of Residency: Delaware
Non-career appointee
Appointment: Jun 16, 1976
Entry on Duty: Jun 18, 1976
Termination of Appointment: Dec 31, 1976

Title: Under Secretary of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs
Name: Richard N. Cooper
State of Residency: Connecticut
Non-career appointee
Appointment: Apr 7, 1977
Entry on Duty: Apr 8, 1977
Termination of Appointment: Jan 19, 1981

Title: Under Secretary of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs
Name: Myer Rashish
State of Residency: District of Columbia
Non-career appointee
Appointment: Jun 12, 1981
Entry on Duty: Jun 29, 1981
Termination of Appointment: Jan 20, 1982

Title: Under Secretary of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs
Name: W. Allen Wallis
State of Residency: New York
Non-career appointee
Appointment: Sep 23, 1982
Entry on Duty: Sep 23, 1982
Termination of Appointment: Jan 20, 1989

Title: Under Secretary of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs
Name: Richard Thomas McCormack
State of Residency: Pennsylvania
Non-career appointee
Appointment: Apr 14, 1989
Entry on Duty: Apr 14, 1989
Termination of Appointment:

Title: Under Secretary of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs
Name: Richard Thomas McCormack
State of Residency: Pennsylvania
Non-career appointee
Appointment: Apr 14, 1989
Entry on Duty: Apr 14, 1989
Termination of Appointment: May 3, 1991

Title: Under Secretary of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs
Name: Robert B. Zoellick
State of Residency: District of Columbia
Non-career appointee
Appointment: May 9, 1991
Entry on Duty: May 20, 1991
Termination of Appointment: Aug 23, 1992
Note: Continued to serve concurrently as Counselor.

Title: Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs
Name: Joan Edelman Spero
State of Residency: New York
Non-career appointee
Appointment: Apr 1, 1993
Entry on Duty: Apr 1, 1993
Termination of Appointment: Feb 24, 1997

Title: Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs
Name: Stuart E. Eizenstat
State of Residency: Maryland
Non-career appointee
Appointment: May 27, 1997
Entry on Duty: Jun 6, 1997
Termination of Appointment: Jul 16, 1999

Title: Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs
Name: Alan Phillip Larson
State of Residency: Iowa
Foreign Service officer
Appointment: Nov 22, 1999
Entry on Duty: Nov 24, 1999
Termination of Appointment: Feb. 25, 2005

Title: Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs
Name: Josette Sheeran Shiner
State of Residency: Virginia
Non-career appointee
Appointed: Aug. 2, 2005
Entry on Duty: Aug. 23, 2005
Termination of Appointment: April 4, 2007

Title: Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs
Name: Rubin Jeffery, 3rd
State of Residency: District of Columbia
Appointed: June 25, 2007
Entry on Duty: June 27, 2007

Creation of Position: An Act of Congress first authorized an Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs on Aug 1, 1946, for a 2-year period as the third-ranking officer in the Department (P.L. 79-590; 60 Stat. 789). The position was not renewed, however, and between 1947 and 1958 the ranking officer in the Department handling foreign economic matters was either a Deputy Under Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of State. On Jun 30, 1958, Congress re-established the position of Under Secretary for Economic Affairs in the Mutual Security Act (P.L. 85-477; 72 Stat. 274). The following year, the Department of State Organization Act of Jul 30, 1959, authorized the President to appoint either an Under Secretary for Political Affairs or an Under Secretary for Economic Affairs (P.L. 86-117; 73 Stat. 265). Between 1959 and 1972, during periods when there was no Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, the ranking officer for foreign economic affairs was again either a Deputy Under Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of State. On Jul 13, 1972, Congress established separate and permanent positions at the Under Secretary of State level for Economic Affairs and for Political Affairs, in the Foreign Relations Authorization Act (P.L. 92-352; 86 Stat. 490). On Aug 16, 1985, Congress changed the title to include Agricultural Affairs (P.L. 99-93; 99 Stat. 405). The Under Secretary for Economic and Agricultural Affairs serves as the principal adviser to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary (previously Under Secretary) on matters relating to foreign economic and commercial policy. Specified duties, responsibilities, and assignments have varied over time. Each incumbent is commissioned with a functional designation as part of his title. On May 12, 1994, the title was changed to Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs.