Dennis Hightower

Dennis Hightower
Dennis F. Hightower
15th United States Deputy Secretary of Commerce
In office 2009–2010
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	John J. Sullivan
Succeeded by	Rebecca Blank
Personal details
Born	Dennis Fowler Hightower (1941-10-28) October 28, 1941 (age 75) Washington D.C.
Education	McKinley High School
Alma mater	Howard University

Dennis Fowler Hightower (born October 28, 1941 in Washington, DC), is a former Army Officer, retired business executive, college educator, and public servant who was the United States Deputy Secretary of Commerce from August 11, 2009 to August 27, 2010.

He spent his formative years in Washington, D.C., and graduated from McKinley High School in 1958, at age 16, as class president. He entered Howard University that same year and graduated in 1962, at age 20, with a B.S. degree. While at Howard, he was a student leader, a student athlete (swimming, riflery and rowing), and was the top graduating senior and a Distinguished Military Graduate of the Army ROTC program.

Commissioned as a Regular Army 2d Lieutenant in June 1962, Hightower completed the US Army Ranger School and US Army Airborne School, and served in the 101st Airborne Division as a platoon leader, company commander, and S-3 air operations officer. Later, he was trained in counterintelligence and field operations intelligence, and served in strategic and operational assignments in the US and abroad. Hightower served in Vietnam with the 199th Light Infantry Brigade (Separate) (Light), and was promoted to the rank of Major at age 27. During his eight-year military career, he was awarded numerous decorations for meritorious achievement and valor. In addition, he holds the Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Ranger Tab, and Senior Parachutist Badge. Hightower resigned his commission in June 1970, after early selection to attend the United States Army Command and General Staff College.

After his military service, Hightower joined Xerox, and two years later, he was awarded a fellowship to study at Harvard Business School, from which he earned his MBA in 1974. Following that, he was a senior associate/engagement manager at McKinsey & Company; vice president and general manager of General Electric's lighting business in Mexico; vice president of corporate strategy at Mattel; and managing director at Russell Reynolds Associates in Los Angeles.