Ray Willets Washburne is an American businessman, political fundraiser, and government official. He served as President and CEO of the
Overseas Private Investment Corporation
The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) was the United States Government's Development finance institution until it merged with the Development Credit Authority (DCA) of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID ...
from 2017 to 2019 and as a member of the
President's Intelligence Advisory Board
The President's Intelligence Advisory Board (PIAB) is an advisory body to the Executive Office of the President of the United States. According to its self-description, it "provides advice to the President concerning the quality and adequacy of ...
since 2019.
Early life and education
Washburne was born in
Dallas, Texas
Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County w ...
in 1960, and was raised in
Highland Park, later graduating from
Southern Methodist University
, mottoeng = "The truth will make you free"
, established =
, type = Private research university
, accreditation = SACS
, academic_affiliations =
, religious_affiliation = United Methodist Church
, president = R. Gerald Turner
, prov ...
. In 1997 he married Heather Hill, a descendant of
H. L. Hunt
Haroldson Lafayette Hunt Jr. (February 17, 1889 – November 29, 1974) was an American oil tycoon. By trading poker winnings for oil rights according to legend, but more likely through money he gained from successful speculation in oil leases, he ...
.
Business career
Washburne is a co-founder of the
M Crowd Restaurant Group, owning forty-six restaurants, including the Mi Cocina and Taco Diner restaurant chains.
He also has real-estate developments in several states and is the CEO of Charter Holdings. In 2009, Washburne and his family bought the
Highland Park Village
Highland Park Village is an upscale shopping plaza located at the southwest corner of Mockingbird Lane and Preston Road in Highland Park, Texas and was the first self-contained shopping center in America. The Highland Park Village was declared a N ...
, an upscale shopping center in Dallas, for $170 million.
Washburne is currently the Chairman of the Board of
Sunoco, LP. He is also a member of
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an American think tank
A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, mi ...
and a board member of
SMU Cox School of Business Executive Committee.
Political fundraising
Washburne was actively involved in raising money for
George W. Bush's presidential campaigns in both
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
and
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...
, and in the following years continued to raise money for the
Republican Party.
In 2011, he became finance chairman of Governor Tim Pawlenty bid for President. Later, in the
2012 presidential election, he backed
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts f ...
, the Republican Party's nominee, and became
the campaign's Texas co-chair, while also raising money.
Following the 2012 election, in which Romney was defeated, Washburne became the finance chairman of the
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee (RNC) is a U.S. political committee that assists the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican brand and political platform, as well as assisting in fu ...
, during which he raised $160 million for the party.
In 2015, he became a part of
Chris Christie's 2016 campaign for president, serving as the finance chairman.
Christie subsequently conceded in the race, and after
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
emerged as the Republican front-runner, Washburne raised money for
Trump's campaign and became the vice chairman of the
Trump Victory Committee
The Trump Victory Committee was a joint fundraising committee for Donald J. Trump for President (the Donald Trump presidential campaign organization), the Republican National Committee (RNC), and 11 state Republican committees.
Overview
The ...
, which acted as a bridge between the campaign and the RNC.
In 2020, Washburne played a role in convincing Trump to call for restoring a tax break allowing corporations to fully deduct restaurant meal and entertainment costs.
Overseas Private Investment Corporation
On June 5, 2017, President Trump nominated Washburne as president of the
Overseas Private Investment Corporation
The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) was the United States Government's Development finance institution until it merged with the Development Credit Authority (DCA) of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID ...
.
The
U.S. Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
confirmed him by voice vote on August 3, 2017. He worked to increase the OPIC's funding and activities despite the Trump administration's previous plans to shut down the agency. In 2018, Washburn led the effort to create the International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) which replaced OPIC with a merger of entities from USAID, State Department, and OPIC.
In February 2019, Washburne announced he would resign as OPIC's head on March 1.
President's Intelligence Advisory Board
In 2019, Washburne was appointed to the
President's Intelligence Advisory Board
The President's Intelligence Advisory Board (PIAB) is an advisory body to the Executive Office of the President of the United States. According to its self-description, it "provides advice to the President concerning the quality and adequacy of ...
.
US Miliary Southern Command
In 2019, Washburne was appointed to the advisory board of the
US Military Southern Command.
Washburne Soccer & Track Stadium
In 2021, Washburne committed $5,000,000 to SMU to construct the new Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium.
References
External links
Biography at OPIC
{{DEFAULTSORT:Washburne, Ray
1960 births
Businesspeople from Texas
Date of birth missing (living people)
Donald Trump 2016 presidential campaign
Living people
Overseas Private Investment Corporation officials
People from Dallas
People from Highland Park, Texas
Texas Republicans
Trump administration personnel