Maria Luisa Mabilangan Haley: A Leader's leader
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CONTACT: Gene Benavides // 202-556-3122
Maria Luisa Mabilangan Haley: A Leader's leader
Little Rock, AR - Today, in Little Rock, Arkansas and across the country, we honor and celebrate the life of Maria Luisa Mabilangan Haley.
In Maria Haley’s acceptance speech to the Lions World Services for the Blind Vision Awards Luncheon not too long ago, Maria summed up her life this way, "I came here as an immigrant bride...24 years later I walked down Air Force One with the President of the United States. Only in this great country can this happen. America and Arkansas have given me tremendous opportunities...and now... I want to give back."
Maria led an extraordinary and exemplary life deeply rooted in public and community service. Her deep love for her community, her state, and her country includes serving the President of the United States and two Arkansas State Governors.
As the White House Deputy Director of Personnel, Maria was instrumental in placing leadership throughout the Clinton administration that reflected America's diversity. It was Maria who advocated and facilitated my appointment process to become the first Asian American Cabinet Secretary. I am eternally grateful for Maria’s guidance and leadership.
Maria mentored, counseled, and ushered a new generation of Asian American and Pacific Islander appointees under the Clinton Administration; many of them continue to grow as leaders in public and community service and in the private sector. Regardless of the demands of her role, she always took the time to listen, guide, and provide wise counsel to those seeking professional direction.
Maria also played a key role in creating the first White House Commission on Asian American and Pacific Islanders. She oversaw the recruitment and appointment process for many of the AAPI community leaders who became Commissioners for the White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islanders; which helps to provide access and participation with the federal government. The White house Initiative continues to carry on its mission; enabling systematic changes in the federal government's inclusion of AAPI concerns and issues.
Maria also has a special place in our history as the first Filipino American to be confirmed by the US Senate. As the first Filipina at national table, she was able to utilize her role and presence by working tirelessly towards equity and justice for Filipino World War II Veterans.
Her compassionate spirit inspired us to believe that each of us can and should make a difference in this world. That is how she lived her life. We mourn the loss of a leader’s leader and a good friend but find comfort that our lives have been enriched and blessed by her legacy to us, to our country and the world.
Norman Y. Mineta
Maria Luisa Mabilangan Haley
Born in the Philippines during the Japanese occupation, Ms. Haley began her life living in a small hut hiding from enemy soldiers. Upon the granting of independence to the Philippines, Ms. Haley's father, Felipe Mabilangan, Sr., a political science professor, joined the Filipino Diplomatic Corp as an ambassador, and at age 10 Ms. Haley began what she often referred to as her journeys and adventures.
As the daughter of a diplomat, Ms. Haley was educated and traveled all over the world, living in India, Pakistan, France, Spain and Laos. She credited her father for inspiring her love of democracy and public service and her mother, Felisa Hugo Mabilangan, a grade school teacher, for teaching her strength, discipline and graciousness. All of these traits were the benchmarks of Ms. Haley's life and career. That career began in the Philippines in 1966 as Sales Manager for the Manila Hilton, the first international hotel in the Philippines, where she traveled extensively to develop new markets worldwide.
In 1971, Ms. Haley immigrated to the United States to become a U.S. citizen and the bride of Mr. John Haley, a prominent Little Rock attorney who is now deceased. Ms. Haley described coming to Arkansas by saying, "I fell in love with John and the moment I set foot in Arkansas I fell in love with the state. I had an instant family with three wonderful children. This is home. This is where I belong." Throughout her amazing life and career, Ms. Haley has remained close to her Arkansas family and recounted her time with them as some of her most precious. As an Arkansan, Ms. Haley began her career in the United States in executive management with Fairfield Communities, Inc. but was soon recruited by then Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton to head the international and marketing divisions of the Arkansas Industrial Development Commission (now the AEDC). While serving her first Arkansas Governor, Ms. Haley used her international experience to move Arkansas forward by heading Arkansas' foreign trade offices in Brussels, Tokyo and Taipei, and taking responsibility for international economic development of the State, including exports and foreign investments. Ms. Haley was fond of saying, "that under Governor Bill Clinton's watch, exports and foreign investments tripled."
When Governor Bill Clinton decided to run for President, Ms. Haley hit the campaign trail early on his behalf, where she was appointed Senior Advisor for Asian American Affairs for Clinton/Gore. In this capacity, Ms. Haley traveled across the country making speeches, heading rallies and mobilizing Asian American support for the Clinton/Gore campaign. In California, Ms. Haley would laughingly recall that her campaign van was aptly named, "Haley's Comet for Clinton/Gore." Upon the election of President William Jefferson Clinton, Ms. Haley joined her President in Washington, D.C. in November 1992 as The Deputy Personnel Director for the Clinton/Gore transition team. Upon inauguration she joined him in the White House as Special Assistant to the President and Associate Director of Presidential Personnel for Economics, Commerce and Trade.
In 1994, Ms. Haley was nominated by President Clinton, and confirmed by the Senate twice, to serve as a member of the Board for The Export Import Bank of the United States. Ms. Haley was proud to be the first Filipino American in U.S. history to be confirmed by the Senate. Ms. Haley's charge from the President was to increase the Bank's capacity for providing trade financing to small business with a goal of setting aside 10% of the Bank financing for small business. In Ms. Haley's usual overachieving fashion, five years later the Bank small business portfolio had grown to 21%. Ms. Haley was also the first Ex-Im Bank Board member to travel to Africa, chairing the Bank Africa task force and opening opportunities for U.S. exports to the continent.
In July 1999, Ms. Haley was asked to return to the White House to serve as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Presidential Personnel, where she staffed the President, the Chief of Staff, and the Director in the selection and approval of Senate confirmed cabinet, sub-cabinet and senior level appointments. Upon her departure from the White House in the early morning hours of January 20, 2001, Ms. Haley said, "I left the White House still awed by its beauty, ---- and grateful to my President for the experience and the memories." For Ms. Haley, serving one president was not enough. Upon leaving the White House, she was called immediately by Philippines President Gloria Arroyo to serve as her advisor as well as advisor to the Philippines Ambassador to the U.S. on Philippines-US relationships.
Ms. Haley moved directly from this assignment to a new position at Kissinger McClarty Associates where she served as Senior Director for Asia in the international strategic advisory firm, headed by Arkansan and former Clinton Chief of Staff and Envoy to the Americas, Thomas F. "Mack" McCarty and former Secretary of State, Dr. Henry Kissinger. Ms. Haley's appointment in 2007 by Governor Mike Beebe to head the state agency responsible for bringing businesses to Arkansas and maintaining the presence of and growing existing business in Arkansas, was described by long-time colleague and associate, Mack McClarty, as the capstone of Ms. Haley's storied career. And, in Ms. Haley's words, "my life came full circle." In her five years with the AEDC, Ms. Haley's tireless energy and love for Arkansas was expressed in her record of accomplishments at AEDC. Governor Mike Beebe lauded Ms. Haley saying, "Maria Haley did more for the State of Arkansas than most people will ever know. Her tireless mission to create and keep jobs in Arkansas was a primary factor in our ability to ride out the recession as well as we have.
After living all over the world, Maria made Arkansas her adopted home, and dedicated herself to its betterment for more than 30 years. She was one of the first people I wanted on my team when I became governor, and she will be dearly missed as a friend and colleague." As a proponent for women, Ms. Haley also frequently talked about the importance of "sisterhood" and the importance of preserving and nurturing her relationsh
ips with her "girlfriends." She has said, "I could not have lived my life as happy and fulfilled without the support and love of my female friends." Her sisterhoods around the world will dearly miss Ms. Haley.
In her career, Ms. Haley has received numerous prestigious awards, including the 1997 Ronald H. Brown Export Enhancement Award from the Small Business Exporters Association, the 2000 Stan Suyat Memorial Leadership Award from the Asian American Government Executives Network, the 2000 Philippine Presidential Award given by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, and the 2010 Vision Award given by the Lions World Services for the Blind Foundation. She was a charter member of the Arkansas Women's Forum—affiliated with the International Women's Forum.
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