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White House Chief Usher
The White House chief usher is the head of household staff and operations at the White House, the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. The position is currently held by Robert B. Downing.
Although the White House has had staff since it opened, the head of household operations for most of the 1800s was the first lady of the United States. The informally recognized chief servant was often called the steward or stewardess, sometimes the doorkeeper, and beginning with President James Buchanan, the usher. In 1891, the position of chief usher was established in the administration of President Benjamin Harrison. The term "chief usher" was used by the press as early as August 1887.
In 1897, it was created as an official title. William Dubois was the first to use the official title, in the last four of his five years in the role. Thomas E. Stone was the first individual to have the official title of chief usher bestowed on him throughout his tenure.
The average length of service for a chief usher is 10 years. The longest serving White House chief usher is Irwin H. "Ike" Hoover, who served as chief usher for 24 of his 42 years in the White House. The second-longest serving chief usher is Gary J. Walters, who spent 21 years in the position.
Administratively, the Office of the Chief Usher resides within an agency known as the Executive Residence, which was made part of the Executive Office of the President (EOP) in 2002. Within the Executive Residence are three offices: The Office of the Chief Usher, the Office of the White House Curator, and the Office of Calligraphy.
The Office of the Chief Usher is one of 60 offices within EOP, an executive branch agency which provides operational (rather than policy) support to the president and first family. The actual room used as an office by the Chief Usher is on the State Floor of the White House, opening off the Entrance Hall near the entrance from the North Portico.
The chief usher serves at the pleasure of the president, and has no job tenure or civil service protections. The chief usher has a personal staff of seven, but oversees a total Executive Residence staff of about 90.
The chief usher is charged with "the effective operation of the White House Complex and Executive Residence... [The chief usher] develops and administers the budget for the operation, maintenance, and utilities and supervises the Executive Residence staff." The chief usher is responsible for creating the budget for the office of the Executive Residence, overseeing disbursements from the budget, the purchase of supplies, ensuring the physical safety and integrity of the White House's decorative arts and furnishings collections (including theft prevention), and the generation of hand-written (but not printed) White House items such as menus, placards, or invitations.
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White House Chief Usher
The White House chief usher is the head of household staff and operations at the White House, the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. The position is currently held by Robert B. Downing.
Although the White House has had staff since it opened, the head of household operations for most of the 1800s was the first lady of the United States. The informally recognized chief servant was often called the steward or stewardess, sometimes the doorkeeper, and beginning with President James Buchanan, the usher. In 1891, the position of chief usher was established in the administration of President Benjamin Harrison. The term "chief usher" was used by the press as early as August 1887.
In 1897, it was created as an official title. William Dubois was the first to use the official title, in the last four of his five years in the role. Thomas E. Stone was the first individual to have the official title of chief usher bestowed on him throughout his tenure.
The average length of service for a chief usher is 10 years. The longest serving White House chief usher is Irwin H. "Ike" Hoover, who served as chief usher for 24 of his 42 years in the White House. The second-longest serving chief usher is Gary J. Walters, who spent 21 years in the position.
Administratively, the Office of the Chief Usher resides within an agency known as the Executive Residence, which was made part of the Executive Office of the President (EOP) in 2002. Within the Executive Residence are three offices: The Office of the Chief Usher, the Office of the White House Curator, and the Office of Calligraphy.
The Office of the Chief Usher is one of 60 offices within EOP, an executive branch agency which provides operational (rather than policy) support to the president and first family. The actual room used as an office by the Chief Usher is on the State Floor of the White House, opening off the Entrance Hall near the entrance from the North Portico.
The chief usher serves at the pleasure of the president, and has no job tenure or civil service protections. The chief usher has a personal staff of seven, but oversees a total Executive Residence staff of about 90.
The chief usher is charged with "the effective operation of the White House Complex and Executive Residence... [The chief usher] develops and administers the budget for the operation, maintenance, and utilities and supervises the Executive Residence staff." The chief usher is responsible for creating the budget for the office of the Executive Residence, overseeing disbursements from the budget, the purchase of supplies, ensuring the physical safety and integrity of the White House's decorative arts and furnishings collections (including theft prevention), and the generation of hand-written (but not printed) White House items such as menus, placards, or invitations.