Fred Andrew Seaton

Fred Seaton's interest in politics can be traced to his time in Kansas as secretary for Alfred Landon's unsuccessful presidential bid. He subsequently moved to Nebraska to manage a portion of his family's newspaper business but stayed active in politics, even serving a brief term—by appointment—in the U.S. Senate. After working on Dwight D. Eisenhower's first presidential campaign, Seaton was named an assistant secretary of defense and went on to become a deputy assistant in the Eisenhower White House. Eisenhower appointed Seaton to head the Department of the Interior in 1956. During his tenure, Seaton increased hydroelectric power production and nearly doubled the acreage of wildlife reserves. Mission 66 continued to expand infrastructure in national parks and recreation areas; Alaska and Hawai‘i attained statehood; and a tacit agreement was reached with Canada regarding uses of the Columbia River. After leaving Washington, Seaton returned to the newspaper business.