John E. Bryson, the former Secretary of Commerce for the United States, environmental advocate, and a lifelong member of the Caltech community, departed this life peacefully at his residence in San Marino, California, on May 13, 2025. He was 81 years of age.
Bryson was appointed to the Caltech Board of Trustees in 2005 and remained until 2011, when he was appointed as Secretary of Commerce. After completing his term, he was re-elected to the board in 2013. He became a senior trustee in 2015 and attained life membership in the Caltech community in 2017.
“John’s guidance and commitment to Caltech fortified our fellowship of scholars and influenced the Institute’s future,” remarks Dave Thompson (MS ’78), chair of the Board of Trustees. “His numerous contributions reach the global community and will significantly benefit society for years to come.”
While serving as a trustee, Bryson led the Audit and Compliance Committee. He held the position of vice chair for the Nominating Committee and was part of the Executive Committee, the Institute and Alumni Relations Committee, along with several other committees that supported the campus and its community. In collaboration with his spouse, Louise Bryson, he founded the John E. Bryson Fellowship Fund to assist graduate students, particularly those focusing on alternative energy sources and sustainability.
Bryson was born in New York City, New York, in 1943 and grew up in the Pacific Northwest. He earned his BA from Stanford University in 1965 and his JD from Yale University in 1969. After graduating from Yale, he and three peers co-founded the Natural Resources Defense Council, which unites scientists, lawyers, and other environmental professionals to safeguard nature and tackle issues posed by the climate crisis. From 1990 to 2008, Bryson held the positions of chairman and CEO of Edison International, the parent organization of Southern California Edison.
In 2011, President Barack Obama appointed Bryson as the 37th U.S. Secretary of Commerce. Later, he became a distinguished senior public policy scholar at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C., where he directed the Bryson Climate Initiative concentrating on energy, international trade, and the global economy in China, India, and the U.S.
Bryson presided over the California Public Utilities Commission and chaired the California State Water Resources Control Board. He was also part 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).
Previously, he was a member of the Deutsche Bank Americas advisory board. He served on the boards of directors for the W. M. Keck Foundation, The California Endowment, the Council on Foreign Relations, Boeing Company, the Walt Disney Company, and the Public Policy Institute of California; was a trustee at Stanford University; and was a senior advisor to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. In 2011, he was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
He is survived by Louise Henry Bryson, his spouse of over 50 years, along with his daughters Ruth, Jane, Julia, and Kathleen Bryson.