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George Cortelyou | |
|---|---|
 Cortelyou (c. 1905–1907) | |
| 44th United States Secretary of the Treasury | |
| In office March 4, 1907 – March 7, 1909 | |
| President | Theodore Roosevelt |
| Preceded by | Leslie Shaw |
| Succeeded by | Franklin MacVeagh |
| 42nd United States Postmaster General | |
| In office March 6, 1905 – January 14, 1907 | |
| President | Theodore Roosevelt |
| Preceded by | Robert Wynne |
| Succeeded by | George Meyer |
| Chair of the Republican National Committee | |
| In office June 23, 1904 – January 7, 1907 | |
| Preceded by | Henry Payne (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Harry New |
| 1st United States Secretary of Commerce and Labor | |
| In office February 18, 1903 – June 30, 1904 | |
| President | Theodore Roosevelt |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Victor H. Metcalf |
| Secretary to the President | |
| In office May 1, 1900 – February 18, 1903 | |
| President | William McKinley Theodore Roosevelt |
| Preceded by | John Addison Porter |
| Succeeded by | William Loeb Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | George Bruce Cortelyou July 26, 1862 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | October 23, 1940 (aged 78) New York City, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Lilly Morris Hinds |
| Education | Westfield State University (BA) Georgetown University (LLB) George Washington University (LLM) |
George Bruce Cortelyou (July 26, 1862 – October 23, 1940) was an American cabinet secretary of the early twentieth century. He served in various capacities in the presidential administrations of Grover Cleveland, William McKinley, and Theodore Roosevelt.
Born in New York City, Cortelyou worked for the United States Post Office Department and came to the attention of Postmaster General Wilson S. Bissell. On Bissell's recommendation, President Cleveland hired Cortelyou as his chief clerk. On Cleveland's recommendation, McKinley hired Cortelyou as his personal secretary. After the assassination of William McKinley, Roosevelt asked Cortelyou to lead an effort to reorganize the White House.
Impressed with Cortelyou's performance, Roosevelt appointed him United States Secretary of Commerce and Labor in 1903. He left this position in 1904 to become chairman of the Republican National Committee, and in 1905 he also served as Postmaster General. He left both positions to become the United States Secretary of the Treasury in 1907. In this position, he worked to keep the economy stable during the Panic of 1907. After Roosevelt left office in 1909, Cortelyou became president of the Consolidated Gas Company. He died in 1940.