October 16, 2008

Freedom from foreign oil, according to Jay Hakes, will improve national security, the economy, and our environment.

Jay Hakes, author of “A Declaration of Energy Independence,” spoke to a Hauenstein Center audience in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on October 16, 2008. He has serves as director of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum since June of 2000. An alumnus of the Carter administration, Hakes spent most of his time there as an assistant to Secretary of the Interior Cecil Andrus. After his service in the White House, Hakes held numerous positions under Florida Governor Bob Graham, including director of the Governor’s Energy Office, deputy chief of staff, and chief of staff. During the 1990s, Hakes headed the highly regarded Energy Information Administration at the U.S. Department of Energy. He has testified before congressional committees more than 25 times and has appeared in national print and electronic media on numerous occasions to discuss energy issues. Formerly a professor of political science at the University of New Orleans, Hakes holds a Ph.D. from Duke University.