David T. Kearns

David Todd Kearns (August 11, 1930  February 25, 2011) was an American businessman who was CEO of Xerox Corporation (1982–1990) and served as the first United States Deputy Secretary of Education from 1991 to 1993.

David Kearns
Kearns circa 1983
1st United States Deputy Secretary of Education
In office
1991–1993
PresidentGeorge H. W. Bush
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byMadeleine M. Kunin
Personal details
Born
David Todd Kearns

(1930-08-11)August 11, 1930
Rochester, New York, U.S.
DiedFebruary 25, 2011(2011-02-25) (aged 80)
Vero Beach, Florida, U.S.
SpouseShirley Virginia Cox
Children6
EducationUniversity of Rochester (BBA)
Military service
Branch/service United States Navy

Early life and education

Kearns was born and raised in Rochester, New York where he met his future wife, Shirley Virginia Cox. He earned Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Rochester in 1952, where he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon.

Career

Kearns entered United States Navy flight school and was deployed to the Mediterranean Sea aboard the USS Coral Sea as an airman. Starting in 1954, Kearns worked at IBM.[1]

Xerox Corporation

In 1971, Kearns joined Xerox Corporation as Vice President. He also served as head of U.S./Marketing and Service at Xerox in Rochester, New York, and later as vice president of foreign markets in Stamford, Connecticut. In 1977, he became Xerox president and CEO. In 1985, Kearns succeeded Charles Peter McColough as chairman of Xerox.[1]

U.S. Department of Education

Kearns was nominated by President George H. W. Bush as United States Deputy Secretary of Education on March 22, 1991. The United States Senate confirmed him for the position on May 31, 1991.

Following the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles, California, George H. W. Bush appointed Kearns as White House liaison to help resolve the conflict.[2]

Later career

Kearns left the Department of Education on January 20, 1993. He later joined the faculty of Harvard University's Graduate School of Education where he taught for two years. Kearns has served on the board of trustees for the Ford Foundation, Time Warner, Dayton Hudson, and Ryder. He is also a former chairman of the National Urban League.[1]

Kearns was Chairman of New American Schools, an organization dedicated to excellence in American schools. New American Schools has since merged with the American Institutes for Research.

The University of Rochester established the David T. Kearns Center for Leadership and Diversity in Science and Engineering to expand the pool of individuals who pursue undergraduate and graduate careers in the sciences and engineering.[3]

Kearns published several books including: Winning the Brain Race: A Bold Plan to Make Our Schools Competitive (1988), Prophets in the Dark: How Xerox Reinvented Itself and Beat Back the Japanese (1992), A Legacy of Learning (1999) and Crossing the Bridge: Family, Business, Education, Cancer, and the Lessons Learned (2005).[4]

Personal life

Kearns lost his left eye to radiation treatment related to his cancer in 1993, prompting him to wear an eye patch for the rest of his life. Kearns and his wife, Shirley, had four daughters and two sons. They also had 18 grandchildren.

Kearns died on February 25, 2011, at the age of 80 in Vero Beach, Florida, from complications related to sinus cancer.[5]

Awards

References

  1. Kearns, David T (31 May 2005). "Crossing the Bridge: Family, Business, Education, Cancer, and the Lessons Learned". Meliora Press.
  2. George Bush Presidential Library & Museum (1992). Remarks in a Roundtable Discussion With Leaders of the African-American Community in Los Angeles.
  3. University of Rochester (2005). David T. Kearns Center Archived 2008-09-13 at the Wayback Machine.
  4. Kearns, David T. (1993). "Toward a New Generation of American Schools". The Phi Delta Kappan. 74 (10): 773–776. ISSN 0031-7217. JSTOR 20404998.
  5. Zeller, Tom Jr. (2011-02-26). "David T. Kearns, Champion of Education Reform, Dies at 80 (Published 2011)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
  6. "APS Member History". search.amphilsoc.org. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
  7. "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement". www.achievement.org. American Academy of Achievement.
  8. "David T. Kearns". American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
  9. "University Mourns the Loss of Trustee David Kearns". University of Rochester.
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