Geren, Preston M. (Preston Murdoch), 1952-

Preston M. “Pete” Geren (1952- ) represented Texas' 12th District as a Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1989-1997. He was born in Fort Worth, Texas. After attending and playing football for the Georgia Institute of Technology in Arlington, he received his B.A. and J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin. In 1978, he was admitted to the Texas bar, and subsequently worked as a lawyer in private practice and businessman.

His political career began when he served as Executive Assistant to Senator Lloyd Bentsen (1983-1986). In 1986, he ran unsuccessfully for Congress, but was elected in a special election in 1989 after the resignation of Congressman James C. Wright, Jr. He was elected for the three following terms, and chose to not seek re-election in 1996.

His post-Congress career included serving as a member of the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas Airport Board 1999-2001, and joining the Department of Defense in 2005 as Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense. President George W. Bush nominated him for Secretary of the Army, which he served from 2007 to 2009.

Source: “Geren, Preston M. (Pete).” Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed April 2, 2012. http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=G000134.

From the guide to the Geren (Pete) Papers 96-295; 96-354; 96-367; 96-385; 97-344., 1989-1997, (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)