World Trade Center records folder, 2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

•Printer-friendly page from www.hud.gov Page 1 of 2

This page is located on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Homes and Communities Web site at http://www.hud.aov/about/secretary/martinezbio.cfm.

11111 homes and communities www.hud.gov

The Honorable Mel Martinez United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

en espanol

Mel Martinez is the nation's 12th Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. He was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate, and took his oath of office on January 24, 2001.

In nominating Martinez, President George W. Bush said: "Since leaving his Cuban homeland as a boy, Mel Martinez has been the embodiment of the American dream and has had great success in helping the people of his community obtain affordable housing and urban services." Martinez's work in the public and private sectors, his active involvement in community activities, and his understanding of the work of faith-based social service agencies make him particularly well-suited to serve as leader of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Secretary Martinez oversees the federal agency that creates opportunities for homeownership; helps create, rehabilitate and maintain the nation's affordable housing; provides housing assistance for low-income persons; helps the homeless; and enforces the nation's fair housing laws. HUD works with local communities to help them meet their development needs, and Secretary Martinez has taken a leadership role in the national dialogue on growth management issues.

Before he came to the Department, Secretary Martinez was the elected Chairman of Orange County, Florida, in Orlando, and served on the Governor's Growth Management Study Commission. He previously served as President of the Orlando Utilities Commission, on the board of directors of a community bank, and as Chairman of the Orlando Housing Authority. Born October 23, 1946, in Sagua La Grande, Cuba, in 1962 Martinez and 14,000 other children fled to America as part of a Catholic humanitarian effort called Operation Pedro Pan. Alone and speaking virtually no English, Catholic charitable groups provided Martinez a temporary home at two youth facilities. He subsequently lived with two foster families, with whom he remains close. He was reunited with his family in Orlando in 1966.

http://www.hud.gov/utilities/print/print2.cfm?page=80$^@http%3 A%2F%2Fwww%2Ehud%2Egov%2Fa)... 9/26/2001

NYC-WTC 000136504