George Vernon Orr, Jr. (November 12, 1916 – November 27, 2008) was the 14th
Secretary of the Air Force, appointed by
President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
. From California, he was a businessman and educator who served in both state and national government positions.
Early life
Verne Orr was born on November 12, 1916, in
Des Moines, Iowa. He grew up in the Midwest, then moved with his family to
California just prior to entering high school.
[Song, Jason]
"Verne Orr dies at 92—Air Force secretary during Reagan administration"
''Los Angeles Times'', Los Angeles, California, 28 November 2008.
He graduated from
Pomona College in 1937 where he was awarded a
Phi Beta Kappa key. He earned a master's degree in business administration from
Stanford University
Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...
in 1939.
Orr served in the
United States Navy during
World War II. In April 1942, he was called to active duty in the Navy Supply Corps. During the course of the war, Orr served in both the American and
Pacific theaters of operations. He reached the rank of lieutenant prior to being released from active duty in November 1945. Orr continued to serve in the
Navy Reserve until 1951, when he was honorably discharged as a
lieutenant commander.
Business and public service
Following his release from active duty, Orr began working at his father's new car dealership in
Pasadena, California
Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district.
I ...
, eventually becoming a partner in the business. Orr was active in the auto dealership from 1946 until 1962. However, Orr began shifting his interests into his family's investment business around 1960. In 1963, he became president of Investors Savings and Loan of Pasadena, serving in that position until 1966.
In 1966, California's governor, Ronald Reagan, selected Orr to be the director of the state's
Department of Motor Vehicles. He held that position until 1969. He then served briefly as the state's director of General Services before becoming California's Director of Finance in 1970, a position he held until 1975.
From 1975 to 1980, Orr taught government finance at the
University of Southern California's graduate school of public administration 1975 until 1980. In 1977, California Governor
Jerry Brown named him to the
University of California's Board of Regents.
In 1980, Orr served on Ronald Reagan's Presidential campaign committee. After Reagan was elected President, Orr became deputy director the President-elect's transition office. President Reagan appointed him Secretary of the Air Force in 1981.
As the Air Force Secretary, Orr worked well with
Air Force Chief of Staff Charles A. Gabriel
Charles Alvin Gabriel (January 21, 1928 – September 4, 2003) was the 11th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. As chief of staff, Gabriel served in a dual capacity. He was a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff which, as a body, acts as ...
. Together they secured major budget increases for the
United States Air Force, taking care of Air Force personnel and modernizing the Services's force structure. Orr served for five years, leaving the Air Force in 1985.
After his Air Force service, Orr returned to Pasadena where he became a partner in Smith Orr & Associates, a planning and management consulting firm. In 1999, Orr accepted the position of dean at the
University of La Verne's School of Business and International Studies. He served as dean the university until June 2002 when he retired as dean emeritus.
In 2005, after working on his
dissertation for 14 years, Orr was award a
doctor of philosophy degree in politics and public policy from
Claremont Graduate University
The Claremont Graduate University (CGU) is a private, all-graduate research university in Claremont, California. Founded in 1925, CGU is a member of the Claremont Colleges which includes five undergraduate (Pomona College, Claremont McKenna Co ...
. At the time, he was 88 years old. His doctoral dissertation was on the development of the B-1 bomber, a system he helped to procure as Secretary of the Air Force.
Legacy
Orr died on November 27, 2008, at age 92, at his home in
Pasadena, California
Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district.
I ...
.
Orr has had a long and distinguished career in business, government and education including numerous awards. Orr was honored as Pasadena's Man of the Year in 1970. He has also been Pasadena's
Salvation Army
Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its c ...
Man of the Year, and received Pasadena's Patriot Award. He has served as president of the Pasadena Merchants Association, president of the
United Way of
Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, and sometimes abbreviated as L.A. County, is the most populous county in the United States and in the U.S. state of California, with 9,861,224 residents estimated as of 2022. It is the ...
, president of the
Kiwanis Club of Pasadena, and president of the Family's Services Association of Pasadena. He is director emeritus of
Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena.
At the state level, Orr was a
University of California Regent and a Trustee of
Scripps College
Scripps College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts Women's colleges in the United States, women's college in Claremont, California. It was founded as a member of the Claremont Colleges in 1 ...
in
Claremont, California
Claremont () is a suburban city on the eastern edge of Los Angeles County, California, United States, east of downtown Los Angeles. It is in the Pomona Valley, at the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. As of the 2010 census it had a popul ...
. He was also a member of the Advisory Council for the
Florida A&M University-
Florida State University
Florida State University (FSU) is a public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher education in the st ...
, College of Engineering.
Orr's personal awards includes
Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Medal,
United States Army Distinguished Civilian Service Medal,
United States Navy Distinguished Public Service Medal,
United States Air Force Exceptional Civilian Service Medal, and the
Purple Heart.
The University of La Verne has establishment of the ''Verne Orr Endowed Scholarship Fund''. The fund honors Orr's legacy of leadership and service by awarding an annual scholarship to a qualified and deserving student in the university's School of Business and Global Studies.
Each year the United States
Air Force Association
The Air & Space Forces Association (AFA) is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit, professional military association for the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, its declared mission is " ...
present the ''Verne Orr Award''. This award recognizes a United States Air Force unit for making the most effective use of its human resources.
"National Aerospace & Special Awards"
, Air Force Association, Arlington, Virginia, 5 February 2008.
References
External links
U.S. Air Force
{{DEFAULTSORT:Orr, Verne
1916 births
2008 deaths
United States Secretaries of the Air Force
Reagan administration personnel
United States Navy officers
United States Navy personnel of World War II
People from Pasadena, California
Pomona College alumni
Stanford Graduate School of Business alumni
University of Southern California faculty
California Directors of Finance