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| | [[Image:Andrew mellon stamp.jpg|right|thumb|US postage stamp commemorating Andrew Mellon]] | | [[Image:Andrew mellon stamp.jpg|right|thumb|US postage stamp commemorating Andrew Mellon]] |
| − | '''Andrew W. Mellon''' (Pittsburgh 1855 - Southampton, New York 1937), American Secretary of the Treasury 1921-1932, American ambassador to Great Britain 1932-1933, co-endower and co-eponym of [[Carnegie Mellon University]], art collector, financier and philanthropist, founder and endower National Gallery of Art. | + | '''Andrew W. Mellon''' (Pittsburgh 1855 - Southampton, New York 1937), Served as [[United States Secretary of the Treasury]] from 1921-1932, American ambassador to Great Britain 1932-1933, co-endower and co-eponym of [[Carnegie Mellon University]], art collector, financier and philanthropist, founder and endower National Gallery of Art. |
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| | He was appointed Secretary of the Treasury by President [[Warren G. Harding]] in 1921. | | He was appointed Secretary of the Treasury by President [[Warren G. Harding]] in 1921. |
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| | ''His theory was that big business would prosper in proportion to the lightening of its tax load and its profit, would be transferred to the rest of the nation.''<ref>[http://www.treas.gov/education/history/secretaries/awmellon.shtml Mellon's philosophy.] </ref> </blockquote> | | ''His theory was that big business would prosper in proportion to the lightening of its tax load and its profit, would be transferred to the rest of the nation.''<ref>[http://www.treas.gov/education/history/secretaries/awmellon.shtml Mellon's philosophy.] </ref> </blockquote> |
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| | + | Mellon served under three Presidents as Secretary of the Treasury, during which time he reduced U.S. debt by 9 billion dollars.<ref>The New American Desk Encyclopedia, Penguin Group, 1989</ref> |
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| | Mellon ranked, at the time, as one of the richest people in the world. | | Mellon ranked, at the time, as one of the richest people in the world. |
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| | + | His vast art collection formed the basis of the [[National Gallery of Art]]. |
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| | The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation was formed on June 30, 1969. The Foundation philosophy is to build, strengthen and sustain institutions and their core capacities. | | The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation was formed on June 30, 1969. The Foundation philosophy is to build, strengthen and sustain institutions and their core capacities. |