On August 14, 1935, the Social Security Board was run by three members.
The chairman of the board was John Winant (a former Governor of New Hampshire).
Winant was chairman from August 1935 until February 1937. Arthur J. Altmeyer
became chairman of the board in 1937 until 1946. In 1946 a reorganization
took place and the Social Security Board became the Social Security Administration.
Arthur J. Altmeyer became the first Commissioner of Social Security and
remained in that position until April 1953.
Commissioners of the Social Security Administration
| Arthur J. Altmeyer |
July 16, 1946 to April 10, 1953 |
| William L. Mitchell (Acting) |
April 11, 1953 to November 23, 1953 |
| John W. Tramburg |
November 24, 1953 to July 31, 1954 |
| Charles I. Schottland |
August 23, 1954 to December 31, 1958 |
| William L. Mitchell |
February 4, 1959 to April 3, 1962 |
| Robert M. Ball |
April 17, 1962 to March 17, 1973 |
| Arthur E. Hess (Acting) |
March 18, 1973 to October 24, 1973 |
| James B. Cardwell |
October 25, 1973 to December 12, 1977 |
| Don I. Wortman (Acting) |
December 13, 1977 to October 4, 1978 |
| Stanford G. Ross |
October 5, 1978 to December 31, 1979 |
| Herbert R. Doggette (Acting) |
January 1, 1980 to January 2, 1980 |
| William J. Driver |
January 3, 1980 to January 19, 1981 |
| Herbert R. Doggette (Acting) |
January 20, 1981 to May 5, 1981 |
| John A. Svahn |
May 6, 1981 to September 12, 1983 |
| Martha A. McSteen (Acting) |
September 14, 1983 to June 25, 1986 |
| Dorcas R. Hardy |
June 26, 1986 to July 31, 1989 |
| Gwendolyn S. King |
August 1, 1989 to September 30, 1992 |
| Louis D. Enoff (Acting) |
October 1, 1992 to July 18, 1993 |
| Lawrence H. Thompson (Acting) |
July 19, 1993 to October 7, 1993 |
| Shirley S. Chater |
October 8, 1993 to February 28, 1997 |
| John J. Callahan (Acting) |
March 1, 1997 to September 28, 1997 |
| Kenneth S. Apfel |
September 29, 1997 to January 20, 2001 |
| William Halter (Acting) |
January 21, 2001 to March 28, 2001 |
| Larry G. Massanari (Acting) |
March 29, 2001 to November 9, 2001 |
| *Jo Anne B. Barnhart |
November 9, 2001 to Present |
*Nominated by President Bush on July 17, 2001, and confirmed by the Senate on November 2, 2001. Sworn in on November 9, 2001, as the 14th Commissioner of Social Security.
|
Note: Pictures of Social Security Commissioners are available on our History
page.
November 2001
SSA Press Office 4-H-9 West
High Rise 6401 Security Blvd. Baltimore, MD 21235
410-965-8904 FAX 410-966-9973
|
| This document was archived for historical purposes at the conclusion of Commissioner Barnhart's term of office. |
www.socialsecurity.gov
