Luther H. Hodges, Jr.

Luther Hartwell Hodges Jr. (born November 19, 1936) is a retired American politician and banker. He was the first United States Deputy Secretary of Commerce (1980–81), appointed under Jimmy Carter. Previously Under Secretary of Commerce, he had been tapped to replace Juanita M. Kreps as Secretary of Commerce, but, after a spell as Acting Secretary, the job went to Philip Klutznick, and the new Deputy Secretary position was created for him. Hodges' father, Luther H. Hodges, Sr., had been Secretary of Commerce under John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson between 1961 and 1965, and was also the 64th governor of North Carolina.

Business career

Hodges was the chairman of North Carolina National Bank as a member of the 'aggressive and youthful' management of the bank that led to it becoming the largest bank in the south-east. He later became the chairman of the Greater Washington Board of Trade. He was chairman of Washington Bancorp, the parent company of National Bank of Washington for ten years, until he resigned in 1990. Later, Hodges became the owner/publisher of The Santa Fean Magazine and owned the Hotel Santa Fe (Santa Fe, New Mexico).

Political career

He entered politics in 1978, running for the Democratic nomination in the 1978 Senate election in North Carolina. He won the first round of the primary, with 40% of the vote, but, having failed to receive the 50% required to win on the first ballot, lost to populist Commissioner of Insurance John Ingram with only 46% in the run-off.

Hodges began his political career as a Democrat, but later changed to Republican. In 2004, Hodges contributed more than $30,000 to Republican candidates including: George W. Bush and Dick Cheney and Senator Richard Burr. In 2012, Hodges contributed over $51,000 to Republican candidates and organizataions including: Mitt Romney; Renee Ellmers (R-NC) and Virginia Foxx (R-NC).

Hodges served on the board of the North Carolina State Ports Authority from 2005-2007 and again starting in 2012.