William M. Daley Bio
William Michael “Bill” Daley, born on 9 August 1948, is an American lawyer, banker, and government official who has built a long career across law, finance, and federal service. He served as the 32nd United States Secretary of Commerce under President Bill Clinton from 1997 to 2000 and as White House Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama from January 2011 to January 2012. A member of the Democratic Party and a leading figure in Chicago’s Daley political family, he has also held senior banking roles at JPMorgan Chase, BNY Mellon, and Wells Fargo.
Beyond his executive and political positions, Daley has run in major Illinois elections, including the 2014 Democratic primary for governor and the 2019 Chicago mayoral race. He has remained active in civic life through board service at Northwestern University and membership in the Council on Foreign Relations.
Early Life and Background
William Michael Daley was born in Chicago, Illinois, on 9 August 1948. He was the youngest of seven children raised in the Bridgeport neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. His father, Richard J. Daley, served as Mayor of Chicago from 1955 to 1976, and his mother, Eleanor “Sis” Daley, was born Eleanor Guilfoyle. Growing up in the household of one of the most powerful mayors in American history gave Daley an early, firsthand view of urban politics and Democratic Party operations.
He is the brother of former Illinois legislator John P. Daley and former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. Daley attended St. Ignatius College Prep, graduating in 1966, and went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from Loyola University Chicago in 1970. He later obtained his Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois Chicago and received an honorary Doctor of Law degree from John Marshall Law School.
Path to US Politics
Daley’s entry into public life began within his own family. In 1980, he managed the successful campaign of his brother Richard M. Daley in the Cook County State’s Attorney election, the first time a member of the Daley family ran for Chicago or Cook County office. He continued to assist his brother’s political efforts and governance during Richard M. Daley’s tenure as Mayor of Chicago, building a foundation in campaign management and political strategy.
Outside of direct political campaigns, Daley served on the Advisory Council of Economic Opportunity from 1977 to 1980 and practiced law privately with the firm Daley and George. In 1989, he was named first vice chairman of the Amalgamated Bank of Chicago, and by 1990 he had become the bank’s president and chief operating officer, signaling his shift into the worlds of finance and public-affairs work that would shape his later government service.
William M. Daley Career
Early Career (1977–1993)
After law school, William Michael Daley practiced privately with the firm Daley and George before stepping down to serve on the Advisory Council of Economic Opportunity from 1977 to 1980. He entered Chicago’s banking sector in 1989 as first vice chairman of the Amalgamated Bank of Chicago, becoming the bank’s president and chief operating officer the following year. In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed him to the board of Fannie Mae, where he served until 1997, while also beginning a partnership at the law firm Mayer, Brown & Platt.
Clinton Administration Breakthrough (1993–2000)
William Michael Daley joined the Clinton administration in 1993 as Special Counsel to the President, playing a key role in advocating for and securing passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). He coordinated efforts among the White House, members of Congress, and private industry to build bipartisan support for the agreement, navigating complex political and economic negotiations.
In 1997, President Clinton appointed Daley as the 32nd United States Secretary of Commerce, a position he held until the end of Clinton’s second term in 2000. As Secretary, Daley oversaw U.S. exports, trade policy, and public-private partnerships, championed free trade, and ran the 2000 census. He resigned in 2000 to manage Al Gore’s presidential campaign as general chairman and was later portrayed by actor Mitch Pileggi in the HBO film Recount, which depicted the 2000 Florida election recount.
Corporate and Banking Era (2001–2010)
Following his time in the Clinton cabinet, William Michael Daley took on a series of senior corporate roles. In December 2001, he was named President of SBC Communications, and in May 2004, he became Midwest Chairman of JPMorgan Chase following its acquisition of Bank One Corporation. From 2007 to 2010, he led the Corporate Responsibility program at JPMorgan Chase. In 2010, he received the Chicago History Museum’s Making History Award for Distinction in Civic Leadership.
Obama Administration Era (2011–2012)
On 6 January 2011, President Barack Obama named William Michael Daley as White House Chief of Staff, and he took office on 13 January 2011. Daley succeeded Rahm Emanuel and interim chief of staff Pete Rouse, and he was a central public face of the administration, including appearances on Meet the Press during the 2011 Arab Spring oil-price concerns. He was present in the White House Situation Room on 1 May 2011 and joined the Presidential State Visit to the United Kingdom later that month.
On 9 January 2012, it was announced that Daley would resign as White House Chief of Staff. He was succeeded by Jack Lew, and Daley returned to Chicago, where he soon began considering a run for Governor of Illinois in 2014.
Post-Obama Administration and Later Years (2013–Present)
After the 2012 election, William Michael Daley launched an exploratory committee in June 2013 to run for Governor of Illinois, filed as an official Democratic primary candidate in July 2013, and exited the race in September 2013, citing personal hardship. He later served as co-chair of the transition team for the incoming administration of Governor Bruce Rauner and, in 2018, led fundraising for gubernatorial candidate Chris Kennedy.
In 2019, Daley ran for mayor of Chicago, finishing third in a crowded field and missing the run-off. From June to October 2019, he served as Vice Chairman of BNY Mellon, and from November 2019 to 2023 he was Vice Chairman for Public Affairs at Wells Fargo. He has also served on corporate and non-profit boards, including Boeing, Merck & Co., and Boston Properties, and joined Argentière Capital AG as a managing partner in 2014.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of William Michael Daley’s career are his successful effort to pass NAFTA in 1993, his tenure leading the U.S. Commerce Department during the 2000 census, and his role in the White House Situation Room photograph of 1 May 2011. His family’s participation in 14 of the 18 Chicago mayoral elections between 1955 and 2019 also makes his 2019 mayoral run a notable chapter in one of America’s most prominent political dynasties.
William M. Daley Career Highlights
William Michael Daley’s career spans federal executive service, senior corporate leadership, and Democratic political campaigns, with key wins including his role in passing NAFTA in 1993, his appointment as Secretary of Commerce in 1997, and his selection as White House Chief of Staff in 2011. His 2014 Democratic primary entry for governor and his 2019 Chicago mayoral run also marked major political milestones.
Clinton Administration Highlights
William Michael Daley’s most consequential early federal work came in 1993, when he helped secure passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement as Special Counsel to President Clinton. His appointment as the 32nd United States Secretary of Commerce in 1997 and his management of the 2000 census rounded out a tenure that defined his reputation in national economic policy.
Other Achievements and Awards
In 2010, William Michael Daley received the Chicago History Museum’s Making History Award for Distinction in Civic Leadership. He has also served on the boards of major corporations, including Boeing, Merck & Co., and Boston Properties, and as a trustee of Northwestern University, reflecting his standing in American civic and corporate life.
William M. Daley Family
Family Background and Political Lineage
William Michael Daley comes from one of the most recognizable political families in Chicago. His father, Richard J. Daley, served as Mayor of Chicago from 1955 to 1976, and his mother was Eleanor “Sis” Daley, née Guilfoyle. He is the brother of former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and former Illinois legislator John P. Daley, continuing a family tradition of involvement in Democratic politics on the city’s South Side.
Personal Life
William Michael Daley married Bernadette Keller in 2010. He has four children, and as of 2019, his three adult children and three granddaughters lived in Chicago. Keller is a founding member and director of the Chicago Transplant Ethics Consortium, and the couple has long maintained a home in Chicago, Illinois, where Daley continues to reside.