John F. O'Leary

John Francis O'Leary
Born	Template:Birth date Reno, Nevada, U.S.
Died	December 19, 1987(1987-12-19) (aged 61) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Government official, corporate leader

John Francis O'Leary (June 23, 1926 – December 19, 1987) was a prominent American government official and corporate leader. He served in high-level positions within the Federal Energy Administration and the U.S. Department of Energy prior to his appointment as chairman and CEO of General Public Utilities Corp.

Early life

O'Leary was born in Reno, Nevada and received his early education in public schools across Nevada and California. He completed his secondary education at Central High School in Washington, D.C. Following high school, he served in the United States Army from 1945 to 1946, attaining the rank of corporal. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from George Washington University in 1950 and continued graduate-level economic studies there until 1953.

Career

Beginning his professional journey at the United States Bureau of Mines in 1950, O'Leary advanced through various positions specializing in minerals and fuels economics. By 1963, he had risen to the role of Deputy Assistant Secretary. In 1967, he was appointed Chief of the Bureau of Natural Gas at the Federal Power Commission.

In 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed him director of the Bureau of Mines. During his tenure, O'Leary championed enhanced federal coal mine safety regulations in response to the Farmington Mine disaster, which led to tensions with industry regulators. He tendered his resignation early in 1969, which President Richard Nixon accepted effective March 1970.

O'Leary headed the Federal Energy Administration until 1977 when President Jimmy Carter selected him as deputy secretary of the newly established U.S. Department of Energy. He departed from federal service in 1979 and subsequently joined the board of General Public Utilities Corp. following the Three Mile Island accident. His professional experience also encompassed positions at Mitre Corporation and serving as New Mexico's Secretary of Energy and Minerals.

Personal life and death

On April 24, 1980, O'Leary married fellow government energy official Hazel Reid. He passed away from cancer at age 61 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.