W. Averell Harriman

William Averell Harriman (November 15, 1891 – July 26, 1986) was an American individual notable for his roles in politics, business, and diplomacy. He was born in New York City to Edward Henry Harriman, a railroad executive, and Mary Williamson Averell. Harriman had siblings named E. Roland Harriman and Mary Harriman Rumsey. His early life included participation in the Harriman Alaska Expedition of 1899, a philanthropic and scientific survey of coastal Alaska and Russia, which provided him his first exposure to Russia.

Harriman attended Groton School in Massachusetts and subsequently Yale University, where he was a member of the Skull and Bones society and Psi Upsilon. He graduated from Yale in 1913. After his graduation, following the death of his father in 1909, he inherited a substantial fortune. He also became Yale's youngest Crew coach.

In the business arena, Harriman established the banking firm W.A. Harriman & Co in 1922. His brother Roland joined the firm in 1927, and the company was renamed Harriman Brothers & Co. In 1931, the firm merged with Brown Bros. & Co., creating Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., a prominent Wall Street investment bank. Harriman's investments extended to properties such as the Union Pacific Railroad, the Merchant Shipbuilding Corporation, and venture capital interests including the Polaroid Corporation. Other holdings included interests in the Southern Pacific Railroad, Illinois Central Railroad, Wells Fargo & Co., and the Guaranty Trust Company.

Harriman's political career began with his involvement in the New Deal, encouraged by his sister Mary Rumsey. He joined the National Recovery Administration (NRA) in the 1930s. He served on the Business Advisory Council for the U.S. Department of Commerce. Further, he participated in thoroughbred horse racing, purchasing racing stock following the death of August Belmont Jr. in 1924, and racing under the name Arden Farm, with notable horses such as Chance Play.

During World War II, Harriman played a significant diplomatic role. He was involved in organizing the American intervention in World War I, called "Operation Harriman." During World War II, he served as President Franklin D. Roosevelt's personal envoy to Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin. He coordinated the Lend-Lease program and provided reports on Churchill and British military actions. Harriman was also involved in the coordination of wartime efforts related to the German concentration camps and raised awareness about genocide occurring under Nazi control.

Harriman was appointed U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union, participating in major wartime conferences. He supported the policy of containment after the war and acted as an advocate of the ideas put forth by George F. Kennan. Additionally, he served as Secretary of Commerce under President Harry S. Truman and contributed to the implementation of the Marshall Plan.

He sought the Democratic Party's presidential nomination in 1952 and 1956 but was not successful in securing the nomination. Harriman was elected as the 48th governor of New York in 1954, defeating Republican Senator Irving Ives. He served a single term and was defeated by Nelson Rockefeller in 1958. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Harriman remained a prominent foreign policy advisor within the Democratic Party. His involvement included negotiations of the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty during President John F. Kennedy's administration and engagement with the Vietnam War during President Lyndon B. Johnson's administration.

Following Johnson's presidency, Harriman engaged with organizations such as the Club of Rome and the Council on Foreign Relations until his death in 1986.