DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL

SECRETARIES

FORMER SECRETARIES


[photo, John F. X. O'Brien , Maryland Secretary of Personnel] JOHN F. X. O'BRIEN (1936-2020)
Secretary of Personnel, 1984-87

Chief Legislative Officer, Office of Governor, 1983-84
Legislative Liaison, Office of Governor, 1979-83

Assistant Secretary for Research & Planning, Department of Personnel, 1975-79

Secretary of Personnel, 1984-87. Member, Governor's Executive Council, 1984-87. Board of Trustees for the State Retirement and Pension System, 1984-87. Chair, State Employees' Health Insurance Advisory Council, 1985-87. Member, Interdepartmental Committee for Minority Affairs, 1986-87.


Journal clerk, Baltimore City Council, 1963-64, 1965-66.

Assistant to Chief Engineer, State Roads Commission, 1964-66.

Administrative Officer, Department of General Services, 1966-74.

Member, House of Delegates (Democrat), representing Legislative District 3 (Baltimore City), 1967-74, and District 43 (Baltimore City), 1975. Member, Ways and Means Committee, 1967-70. Vice-Chair, Committee on Appropriations, 1971-75. Member, Joint Budget and Audit Committee, 1971-75; Joint Executive/Legislative Task Force on Pensions. Chair, Joint Committee on State Personnel Management Study.

Member, Maryland Commission on the Functions of Government, 1972-75.

Assistant Secretary for Research and Planning, Department of Personnel, 1975-79

Legislative liaison, 1979-83, and Chief Legislative Officer, 1983-84, Office of Governor.

Member, Governor's Productivity Planning Committee, 1984-85. Chair, Task Force To Study Independent Salary-Setting Authorities, 1987-88.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, January 26, 1936. Attended Mount Saint Joseph High School, Baltimore, Maryland; Baltimore City College. State Highway Engineering Program certificate, 1961. Eastern College of Commerce; University of Baltimore, B.A.; University of Baltimore Law School, LL.B., 1964. Served in U.S. Army in Germany, 1956-58. Engineer. Executive Director, Maryland Classified Employees Association, 1990-95. Board of Directors, Health and Welfare Council of Central Maryland, Inc., 1976. Married; one daughter, three grandchildren. Died in Baltimore, Maryland, December 21, 2020.

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