James Watt to Give Keynote Talk at UW Symposium Monday

March 16, 2005 -- James Watt, President Ronald Reagan's first secretary of the interior, will speak Monday, March 21, at 2 p.m. in the University of Wyoming Union Yellowstone Ballroom.

His talk will launch the UW American Heritage Center Symposium, "Through the Rearview Mirror: Wyoming Parks, Public Lands, and Politics." The program, scheduled from 2-4 p.m., is free and open to the public.

Following the presentation, former U.S. Sen. Alan K. Simpson and UW faculty members Peter Simpson, Gregg Cawley, Amanda Rees and Phil Roberts will participate in a public discussion with Watt.

Watt, who resides in Jackson, was born, raised and educated in Wyoming. After graduating from UW's colleges of Business (1960) and Law (1962), he went to Washington D.C., and served in several political and governmental positions during the administrations of six presidents.

From 1962-1966 Watt served as U.S. Sen. Milward Simpson's legislative assistant and chief counsel. He then became a secretary to a chamber of commerce committee on natural resources and environmental pollution control policies. By 1969, President Richard Nixon had appointed him deputy assistant secretary of the interior for water power and development, a position Watt held until becoming director of the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation.

From 1975 to 1977, Watt served as a member of the Federal Power Commission, doing so at President Gerald Ford's request, before heading the Mountain States Legal Foundation. In 1980, President Reagan nominated Watt to become his secretary of the interior.

The symposium is sponsored by the American Heritage Center's Alan K. Simpson Institute for Western Politics and Leadership and the George A. Rentschler Lectureship.

For more information about the speakers, visit http://ahc.uwyo.edu/news/2005events/symposium.htm

Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2005