John frohnmayer biography
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Otto Frohnmayer was a prominent attorney, civic leader, and philanthropist who played an important role in Medford’s transformation from a small rail and fruit-growing city into the region’s medical and financial hub. Over sju decades, he and his family helped bring art, culture, and a strong sense of civic pride to many Southern Oregon projects.
Otto John Frohnmayer was born in Germany on October 22, , the son of Bernard and Sophie Yetter Frohnmayer. When Otto was an infant, the family immigrated to Oregon, where Bernard worked as a watchmaker and toolmaker. Otto was educated in Portland public schools, graduating from Washington High School before enrolling at Multnomah College and then transferring to the University of Oregon, where he graduated with a B.S. degree in Frohnmayer earned a lag degree from the University of Oregon Law School in , working odd jobs that included a stint as a hotel bellhop. He then moved to Medford, where he joined the successful lag practice of Port
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John Frohnmayer ()
John Frohnmayer was the fifth chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, appointed by President George H. W. Bush in Prior to the NEA, Frohnmayer was a successful lawyer—specializing in the First Amendment, an art collector, and chairman of the Oregon State Arts Commission. He had studied for the ministry before choosing law as a profession.
The NEA was in the midst of controversies surrounding its funding of various projects when he took office, notably surrounding a Robert Mapplethorpe exhibit, which would lead to Congressional action and a U.S. Supreme Court decision in , National Endowment for the Arts v. Finley. Frohnmayer's focus on art education was largely overshadowed by the contentious partisan politics surrounding the agency. Among the programs started under his leadership was the Rural Arts Initiative, which helped rural arts organizations to develop artistically and administratively.
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John Frohnmayer
American attorney, writer, and arts leader from Oregon
John Frohnmayer | |
|---|---|
| Born | John Edward Frohnmayer () June 1, (age&#;82) Medford, Oregon, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Attorney, writer, arts leader |
| Spouse | Leah (nee Thorpe) Frohnmayer |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | David B. Frohnmayer (brother) |
| Allegiance | &#;United States |
| Service / branch | &#;United States Navy |
| Years&#;of service | – |
John Frohnmayer (born June 1, ) is an American writer and retired attorney from the U.S. state of Oregon. He was the fifth chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, a program of the United States government. He was appointed by President George H. W. Bush in , and served until
Early life
[edit]On June 1, , Frohnmayer was born in Medford, Oregon. Frohnmayer's father was Otto Frohnmayer, a German who immigrated to Oregon in and an attorney in Oregon. Frohnmayer's mo