Dan Brouillette

{{Infobox officeholder

| image = Dan Brouillette official photo.jpg

| caption = Official portrait, 2017

| office = 15th United States Secretary of Energy

| president = Donald Trump

| deputy = Mark Menezes

| term_start = December 4, 2019

| term_end = January 20, 2021
(Acting: December 1, 2019 – December 4, 2019)

| predecessor = Rick Perry

| successor = Jennifer Granholm

| office1 = 19th United States Deputy Secretary of Energy

| president1 = Donald Trump

| term_start1 = August 8, 2017

| term_end1 = December 4, 2019

| predecessor1 = Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall

| successor1 = Mark Menezes

| office2 = Assistant Secretary of Energy for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs

| president2 = George W. Bush

| term_start2 = August 1, 2001

| term_end2 = October 3, 2003

| predecessor2 = John Angell{{cite web |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/107th-congress/576?q=%7B |title=PN576 — Dan R. Brouillette — Department of Energy |date=August 1, 2001 |website=United States Congress |access-date=November 7, 2019 |language=en}}

| successor3 = Rick Dearborn

| birth_name = Danny Ray Brouillette

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1962|8|18}}

| birth_place = Paincourtville, Louisiana, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Republican

| spouse = Adrienne

| children = 9

| education = University of Maryland Global Campus (BA)

| allegiance = United States

| branch = United States Army

}}

Danny Ray Brouillette{{cite news |url=https://projects.propublica.org/trump-town/staffers/danny-ray-brouillette |title=Danny Ray Brouillette |newspaper=Propublica |date=November 8, 2017 |access-date=November 21, 2019 |language=en}} ({{IPAc-en|b|r|uː|ˈ|j|ɛ|t|}} born August 18, 1962) is an American government official, lobbyist and businessman who served as the 15th United States Secretary of Energy in the Donald Trump administration from 2019 to 2021.{{Cite web | url=https://www.exchangemonitor.com/brouillette-sworn-15th-energy-secretary/ |title = Brouillette Sworn in as 15th Energy Secretary - ExchangeMonitor | Page 1|date = December 6, 2019}} He previously served as the United States Deputy Secretary of Energy from August 2017 to December 2019. In 2023, Brouillette was named president and chief executive officer elect of the Edison Electric Institute.{{Cite press release |last=Institute |first=Edison Electric |title=EEI Board Names Dan Brouillette President and Chief Executive Officer Elect |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eei-board-names-dan-brouillette-president-and-chief-executive-officer-elect-301902694.html |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=www.prnewswire.com |language=en}}

Early life and education

Brouillette was born in Paincourtville, Louisiana. He graduated from the University of Maryland Global Campus in 1995.

Career

Following his service in the United States Army, Brouillette was U.S. representative Billy Tauzin's legislative director from 1989 to 1997.{{Cite web|url=https://fcw.com/articles/2001/04/24/roster-change.aspx|title=Roster Change -- FCW|website=FCW|language=en|access-date=May 2, 2017|archive-date=September 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928010123/https://fcw.com/articles/2001/04/24/roster-change.aspx|url-status=dead}} From 1997 to 2000, he was Senior Vice President of R. Duffy Wall & Associates,{{cite web

|url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2001/04/text/20010420-1.html

|title=President Bush to Nominate Two Individuals to Serve in His Administration

|publisher=Office of the Press Secretary

|date=2001-04-20

|access-date=2020-03-21

}} a DC-based lobbying firm.{{cite news

|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1998/05/16/public-relations-firm-acquires-lobbying-stalwart-r-duffy-wall/2e76e2d8-3064-4352-aae1-bfc1884cd8b4/

|title=PUBLIC RELATIONS FIRM ACQUIRES LOBBYING STALWART R. DUFFY WALL

|newspaper=The Washington Post

|date=1998-05-16

|last=McAllister

|first=Bill

|access-date=2020-03-21

}} Brouillette was Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs in the United States Department of Energy from 2001 to 2003 under President George W. Bush.

He was chief of staff under Rep. Billy Tauzin and was also staff director for the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce from 2003 to 2004, when Tauzin chaired the committee.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bna.com/deputy-energy-secretary-n57982086568/|title=Deputy Energy Secretary Pick Has Lobbying, Capitol Hill Ties|website=bna.com|access-date=May 2, 2017}}{{Cite news |url=https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/327110-trump-picks-former-doe-official-to-be-deputy-secretary/|title=Trump picks Bush veteran to be Rick Perry's deputy|last=Cama|first=Timothy|date=April 3, 2017|work=TheHill|access-date=May 2, 2017}} Brouillette was involved in crafting provisions included in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, specifically with respect to the Department of Energy loan guarantee program and federal authorization of importation and exportation of liquid natural gas.

From 2004 to 2006, Brouillette was a vice president at Ford Motor Company and sat on Ford's North American Operating Committee. In 2006, Brouillette became head of public policy and senior vice president at United Services Automobile Association.{{Cite web|url=https://www.law360.com/articles/909559/trump-names-deputy-for-perry-s-department-of-energy|title=Trump Names Deputy For Perry's Department Of Energy - Law360|website=law360.com|language=en|access-date=May 2, 2017}}

Brouillette was a member of Louisiana's State Mineral and Energy Board from 2013 to 2016. He was awarded the 2020 Distinguished Alumnus Award by the University of Maryland Global Campus Alumni Association.{{Cite web |title=30 Years of Honoring Our Alumni: Introducing the 2020 Alumni Award Winners |url=https://alumni.umgc.edu/s/710/alumni/indexSocial.aspx?sid=710&gid=1&pgid=2197&cid=3982&ecid=3982&ciid=12976&crid=0 |access-date=2021-01-26 |website=www.umgc.edu |language=en}} In 2021, he joined the American Council for Capital Formation's board of advisors.{{Cite web|title=Trump DOE chief Dan Brouillette joins think tank|url=https://www.eenews.net/articles/trump-doe-chief-dan-brouillette-joins-think-tank/|access-date=2021-08-28|website=E&E News|date=July 13, 2021|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Choi|first=Matthew|title=House Democrats' united front|url=https://politi.co/2UldgoY|access-date=2021-08-28|website=POLITICO|date=July 2021 |language=en}}

=Deputy Secretary of Energy (2017–2019)=

On April 3, 2017, President Donald Trump announced he would nominate Brouillette as United States Deputy Secretary of Energy in the United States Department of Energy. Brouillette was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on August 3, 2017. He was sworn in as the Deputy Secretary of Energy on August 8, 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.energy.gov/articles/dan-brouillette-sworn-deputy-secretary-united-states-department-energy|title=Dan Brouillette Sworn in as Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of Energy|website=Energy.gov|access-date=August 8, 2017}}

=Secretary of Energy (2019–2021)=

File:Dan Brouillette sworn in as Secretary of Energy.jpg

On October 18, 2019, President Trump announced he would nominate Brouillette as United States Secretary of Energy to replace Rick Perry, who had announced he would step down by the end of the year.{{cite tweet |user=realDonaldTrump |number=1185277957436248065 |date=October 18, 2019 |title=At the same time, I am pleased to nominate Deputy Secretary Dan Brouillette to be the new Secretary of Energy. |access-date=October 18, 2019}} On November 7, 2019, President Trump sent his nomination to the Senate.{{Cite web |url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/one-nomination-sent-senate-10/|title=One Nomination Sent to the Senate |date=November 7, 2019|via=National Archives|work=whitehouse.gov|access-date=November 7, 2019}}

Perry formally resigned as Energy Secretary on December 1, 2019, making Brouillette the acting secretary, as his nomination was still pending before the U.S. Senate. On December 2, 2019, the Senate confirmed his nomination by a vote of 70–15.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/02/climate/dan-brouillette-energy-secretary.html|title=Senate Confirms Dan Brouillette to Lead Energy Department|first=Lisa|last=Friedman|newspaper=The New York Times|date=December 2, 2019}} Brouillette was formally sworn in on December 11, 2019.{{Cite press release |title=President Donald J. Trump Presides Over Swearing In Of Dan Brouillette As 15th Secretary Of Energy |date=December 11, 2019 |publisher=United States Department of Energy |location=Washington, D.C. |url=https://www.energy.gov/articles/president-donald-j-trump-presides-over-swearing-dan-brouillette-15th-secretary-energy |quote= On Wednesday, December 11, 2019, President Donald J. Trump presided over the swearing in of Dan Brouillette to serve as the 15th U.S. Secretary of Energy. Vice President Mike Pence administered the oath of office. |language=en |access-date=December 12, 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191212062442/https://www.energy.gov/articles/president-donald-j-trump-presides-over-swearing-dan-brouillette-15th-secretary-energy |archive-date=December 12, 2019}} Then-Under Secretary of Energy Mark Menezes served as Acting Deputy Secretary of Energy until he was confirmed as Deputy Secretary on August 4, 2020.{{Cite web|date=2020-08-04|title=PN1683 - Nomination of Mark Wesley Menezes for Department of Energy, 116th Congress (2019-2020)|url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/116th-congress/1683|access-date=2020-11-11|website=www.congress.gov}}File:Secretary Dan Brouillette.jpg in January 2021.]]In December 2020, as part of the recently signed Abraham Accords, Brouillette convened a "first-of-its kind" meeting between the energy minister of Israel and counterparts from several Arab nations.{{Cite web |date=2020-12-16 |title=Israel, US, UAE, Bahrain to cooperate on energy - Al-Monitor: Independent, trusted coverage of the Middle East |url=https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2020/12/israel-us-uae-bahrain-greece-cyprus-lebanon-energy-steinitz.html |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=www.al-monitor.com |language=en}}

On January 7, 2021, Brouillette promised a seamless handover between the Trump and Biden administrations.{{Cite web|last=Demarest|first=Colin|date=8 January 2021|title=Energy secretary pledges to support 'smooth transition' between Trump, Biden|url=https://www.postandcourier.com/aikenstandard/news/energy-secretary-pledges-to-support-smooth-transition-between-trump-biden/article_303c85d0-5136-11eb-8eba-c7bf1ec62bc1.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-07-18|website=Post and Courier|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210108163204/https://www.postandcourier.com/aikenstandard/news/energy-secretary-pledges-to-support-smooth-transition-between-trump-biden/article_303c85d0-5136-11eb-8eba-c7bf1ec62bc1.html |archive-date=January 8, 2021 }}

Post-Trump administration

= Sempra Infrastructure =

Brouillette was named the president of Sempra Infrastructure in July 2021 and started with the company in November of that year.{{Cite web |last=Nikolewski |first=Rob|date=2021-07-15 |title=Sempra hires former US energy secretary under Trump |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/energy-green/story/2021-07-15/sempra-hires-former-us-energy-secretary-under-trump |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}} During his time with Sempra, Brouillette oversaw the Port Arthur LNG project in Texas{{Cite web |author= Villarreal, Lupita |date= March 20, 2023 |title='More jobs and greater opportunities' : Sempra Infrastructure secures nearly $7B in funding for Port Arthur LNG project |url=https://www.12newsnow.com/article/news/local/sempra-infrastructure-funding-port-arthur-lng-project/502-252cddee-169c-4e7e-92c4-3b193a2699ce |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=KBMT 12 News Now|language=en-US}} and a heads of agreement deal with TotalEnergies, Mitsui, Mitsubishi and NYK for Cameron LNG Phase 2.{{Cite web |title=Sempra Infrastructure Announces Heads of Agreement with TotalEnergies, Mitsui, Mitsubishi and NYK for Cameron LNG Phase 2 |url=https://globalenergyinfrastructure.com/news/2022/04-april/sempra-infrastructure-announces-heads-of-agreement-with-totalenergies-mitsui-mitsubishi-and-nyk-for-cameron-lng-phase-2/ |access-date=2023-08-17|type=press release |website=globalenergyinfrastructure.com}}

= Edison Electric Institute =

On August 16, 2023, the Edison Electric Institute, the interest group for United States investor-owned electric utilities, named Brouillette its president and chief executive officer, effective January 1, 2024.{{Cite web |last=Frazin |first=Rachel |date=2023-08-16 |title=Trump-era Energy secretary to lead electric utility lobby group |url=https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/4155425-trump-era-energy-secretary-to-lead-electric-utility-lobby/ |access-date=2023-08-24 |website=The Hill |language=en-US}} He resigned on October 28, 2024, less than 10 months after taking the position, saying he wanted to focus on global energy issues.{{Cite news |date=2024-10-28 |title=Former Trump Energy Head Steps Down From Utility Trade Group |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-28/former-trump-energy-head-steps-down-from-utility-trade-group |access-date=2024-11-05 |work=Bloomberg.com |language=en}}

Personal life

Brouillette and his wife, Adrienne, are U.S. Army veterans and the parents of nine children, all of whom the couple homeschooled.{{cite web | last1=Wolff | first1=Eric | title=Trump to nominate Dan Brouillette as Energy Secretary | url=https://www.politico.com/news/2019/10/18/trump-dan-brouillette-energy-secretary-051237 | date=October 18, 2019 | work=Politico | access-date=October 19, 2019}} They reside in Maryland.{{Cite news |url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2017/04/03/president-donald-j-trump-announces-intent-nominate-dan-r-brouillette|title=President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Dan R. Brouillette to the Department of Energy|date=April 3, 2017|access-date=April 13, 2017|via=National Archives|work=whitehouse.gov|language=en}} He served in the Army from 1982 to 1987 as a tank commander in Germany in the "Fulda Gap" and as a Drill Sergeant in the Army Reserve in South Carolina.