Civic Enterprises
Senior Advisor
Gary R. Edson
From 2001 to 2004 Gary R. Edson served in the Bush Administration as Deputy Assistant to the President for International Economic Affairs and Deputy National Security Advisor. He was also the "Sherpa," or lead U.S. negotiator, for the annual G-8 Summits. Among other things, he helped coordinate the development of the President's $15 Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and the G8's Broader Middle East initiative. He also supported former Secretary of State James A. Baker III in his successful efforts to get Iraq's creditors to reduce or forgive Iraqi debt. Before joining the Bush Administration, Edson headed a Chicago-based private equity firm that specialized in acquiring and turning around manufacturing businesses, and was Corporate Vice President - Business Development for Ameritech. He served as Chief of Staff and General Counsel to the U.S. Trade Representative, Carla A. Hills, in the first Bush Administration. He also served as Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of State, Kenneth W. Dam, in the Reagan Administration, after which he became Vice President of Equity Group Investments, Inc., reporting to the Chairman, Sam Zell. He holds a B.A. in Anthropology from Stanford University, and received his J.D. and M.B.A. degrees from The University of Chicago.