Caltech Mourns the Passing of Trustee John E. Bryson (1943–2025)

John E. Bryson, former United States Secretary of Commerce, environmental advocate, and a life member of the Caltech community, passed away peacefully at his home in San Marino, California, on May 13, 2025. He was 81 years old.

Bryson was named to the Caltech Board of Trustees in 2005 and served until 2011, when he was confirmed as Secretary of Commerce. Upon the conclusion of his service, he was re-elected to the board in 2013. He became a senior trustee in 2015 and a life member of the Caltech community in 2017.

"John's leadership and dedication to Caltech strengthened our community of scholars and shaped the future of the Institute," says Dave Thompson (MS '78), chair of the Board of Trustees. "His many contributions extend to the global community and will greatly benefit society for generations."

During his tenure as a trustee, Bryson chaired the Audit and Compliance Committee. He served as vice chair of the Nominating Committee and was a member of the Executive Committee, the Institute and Alumni Relations Committee, and numerous other committees supporting the campus and its community. Together with his wife, Louise Bryson, he established the John E. Bryson Fellowship Fund to support graduate students, with an emphasis on those studying alternative energy sources and sustainability.

Bryson was born in New York City, New York, in 1943 and was raised in the Pacific Northwest. He received his BA from Stanford University in 1965 and his JD from Yale University in 1969. Following graduation from Yale, he and three classmates co-founded the Natural Resources Defense Council, which brings together scientists, lawyers, and other environmental specialists to protect nature and address challenges brought on by the climate crisis. From 1990 to 2008, Bryson served as chairman and CEO of Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison.

In 2011, Bryson was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as the 37^th U.S. Secretary of Commerce. He later joined the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C., as a distinguished senior public policy scholar, where he led the Bryson Climate Initiative focused on energy, international trade, and the global economy in China, India, and the US.

Bryson served as president of the California Public Utilities Commission and chairman of the California State Water Resources Control Board. He was a member of the United Nations secretary-general's Advisory Group on Energy and Climate Change. Together with former U. S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher, he co-chaired the Pacific Council on International Policy (PCIP).

He previously served on the Deutsche Bank Americas advisory board. He was a member of the board of directors of the W. M. Keck Foundation, The California Endowment, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Boeing Company, the Walt Disney Company, and the Public Policy Institute of California; a member of the board of trustees of Stanford University; and a senior advisor to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. He was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2011.

He is survived by Louise Henry Bryson, his wife of over 50 years, and his daughters Ruth, Jane, Julia, and Kathleen Bryson.