The Honorable John E. Bryson, a beloved former Pacific Council Co-Chair, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce, and visionary environmental leader passed away peacefully at his home in San Marino, California, on May 13, 2025.

“I have always had tremendous affection and respect for John Bryson, not only because he and Warren Christopher, co-chairs of the Pacific Council, hired me as our CEO in 2008, but also because of my high regard for his intellect, integrity, basic decency, and humanity. John was a gentleman in every sense of the word, and it was an honor and a privilege to have worked so closely with him. My thoughts are with Louise and his family at this difficult time. John Bryson will be missed,” Dr. Jerrold D. Green, Interim President and CEO of the Pacific Council on International Policy.

A dedicated public servant and trailblazing advocate, Secretary Bryson was nominated by President Obama in 2011 and served as U.S. Secretary of Commerce until 2012. He was also a Co-Founder of the Natural Resources Defense Council, where his lifelong commitment to sustainability and public welfare began.

Throughout his distinguished career, Mr. Bryson held numerous leadership roles across sectors. He was Chairman and CEO of Edison International, and earlier in his career, served as President of the California Public Utilities Commission and Chair of the California State Water Resources Control Board. His work shaped both state and national energy and environmental policy.

Mr. Bryson was deeply engaged in global and academic communities. He served on the boards of the Walt Disney Company, the Boeing Company, the Council on Foreign Relations, and Stanford University. He was also a Trustee of Caltech, a board member of the W.M. Keck Foundation, and a Deutsche Bank Americas Advisory Board member. In 2011, he was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He also served on the U.N. Secretary-General’s Advisory Group on Energy and Climate Change and as a Senior Advisor to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.

A graduate of Stanford University and Yale Law School, Mr. Bryson's legacy endures in the institutions he helped shape and the people he inspired. He will be remembered for his intellect, integrity, and unwavering commitment to the public good.