Secretary to the President of the United States

The secretary to the president is a long-standing position in the United States government, known by many different titles during its history. In terms of rank, it was a precursor to the modern White House chief of staff until the creation of that position in 1946. In the 19th- and early 20th-century it was a White House position that carried out all the tasks now spread throughout the modern White House Office. The Secretary would act as a buffer between the president and the public, keeping the president's schedules and appointments, managing his correspondence, managing the staff, communicating to the press as well as being a close aide and advisor to the president in a manner that often required great skill and discretion. During the mid 20th century, the position became known as the "...