1999 – Washington, DC
During Elizabeth Dole’s remarkable public service career she has served five United States Presidents, and in 1998 was named by the Gallup Poll among the world’s top three most admired women. Mrs. Dole graduated from Duke University in 1958 and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She earned a degree from Harvard Law School in 1965 and also holds a master’s degree in education and government from Harvard. In 1971, Mrs. Dole was appointed Deputy Assistant to President Nixon for Consumer Affairs, receiving the National Safety Council’s Distinguished Service Award in 1989. She served six years as a member of the Federal Trade Commission and two years as Assistant to President Reagan for Public Liaison. In February 1983, Mrs. Dole joined President Reagan’s Cabinet as Secretary of Transportation – the first woman to hold that position. In 1989 she became the nation’s 20th Secretary of Labor, under President Bush. From 1991 to 1999, as President of the American Red Cross, Mrs. Dole launched a sweeping transformation of Red Cross Biomedical Services to dramatically improve how they collect, test, and distribute nearly half the nation’s blood supply. Under her leadership, the American Red Cross was consistently recognized for outstanding financial stewardship. Mrs. Dole’s awards, too numerous to list, range from honors for civic service and leadership in government to accolades for her charitable commitments and dedication to issues surrounding women in the workplace. She has received honorary doctorate degrees from 38 colleges and universities and most recently was recognized by Good Housekeeping as one of the 10 Most Admired Women, her third appearance in the magazine’s Top 10.
