William Hamilton McWhorter Jordan (September 21, 1944) served as White House Chief of Staff in 1979 - 1980 and was a key advisor and strategist for President Jimmy Carter. He was born in Charlotte, Georgia, in 1944 and raised in Albany, Georgia.

In 1986, he ran for the Democratic nomination for one of Georgia's seats in the United States Senate. He lost the primary to Representative Wyche Fowler, who went on to win the general election.

He played a powerful role in the formulation of election strategies and government policies. He was controversially accused of using drugs during his tenure in government, but was subsequently cleared of the charge. He survived a personal struggle with cancer after leaving office. He and his wife, a pediatric oncology nurse, founded a camp for children with cancer - Camp Sunshine Retreat - in Georgia. He is an honorary board member of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.

Jordan was chief executive of the Association of Tennis Professionals when they took control of the professional men's world tennis tour in 1990. In recent times he has served both as a member of the founders council and as an important public advocate for Unity08, a political movement focused on reforming the American two party system.

His son, Hamilton Jordan Jr., is one of three co-founders of the band Genghis Tron.

External links

• Profile of Hamilton Jordan, Notable Names DataBase.
• American Experience. The Georgia Mafia, PBS, 2002.

1944 births | Living people | White House Chiefs of Staff