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Asians have a saying about planting a tree to give shade to future generations. A grateful U.S. Rep. Mike Honda refers to fellow Californian Norman Mineta as his mentor. He calls him the “Father of Asian Pacific Americans.” Imagine Mineta shaking his head. It’s a title he would surely bestow on others.

Asked to enumerate the number of crucial organizations Mineta has founded or co-founded, Filipino American civic leader Gloria Caoile, herself a tree that casts a big shadow, quipped, “Do you have a whole day?”

Today, Asian Americans take it for granted that they have become a major player in Mainstream America. But Norm, as everybody loves to call him, remembers the lonely years. “I can recall the time when we had meetings–we could all fit in one telephone booth,” he now likes to say.

When he observes his birthday on November 12, he will celebrate the difference. He is more likely to toast the achievement of other people. But without his leadership, would the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), or the Asian Pacific American Institute of Congressional Studies (APAICS) have gone this far?

Indeed, Mineta’s birthday would be different this year. With three cabinet secretaries in the administration, an unprecedented record, and other major appointees, he said in a previous interview, “I’m so happy that I could weep.”

Currently, Mineta is the vice chairman at Hill and Knowlton, which he joined in July 2006. At his downtown office, soft-spoken and reflective, he recalled the time when Asian immigrants were denied land ownership. Asian immigrants solved this by giving the title to a Caucasian lawyer. When their sons became U.S. citizens years later, the land was transferred to their name. Mineta also fondly saluted his mentor, I. K. Ishimatsu.

Mainstream Player

To date, Mineta is the only Asian American who has served as a cabinet member in both the Democratic and Republican administrations. He was President Bill Clinton’s commerce secretary.

President George W. Bush appointed him secretary of transportation. History will note that Mineta, whose family was among those interned in World War II, saved hundreds of lives when he grounded all planes on that tragic day in September 2001. Mineta guided the creation of the Transportation Security Administration, an agency with more than 65,000 employees, and the largest mobilization of a new federal agency since World War II.

Who knew that the lonely kid whose bat was taken away from him at that internment camp would have come so far? Yet he has remained humble all these years, preferring to credit others as difference-makers. And he wakes up every morning, bad back and all, thinking there’s still a lot of work to be done. On the suggestion that he write a book for the present and future generations, he merely smiled, loathe to call attention to himself.

Others would have likely retired in the sunset. After all, Mineta, a business graduate of University of California-Berkeley, has become a legend: Mayor of San Jose, U.S. congressman and cabinet secretary. He even has an airport named after him. He has sponsored and co-sponsored major legislation. He is a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S.

He is that rara avis, the rare bird, who has distinguished himself in both major elective and appointive positions. At a recent event, he introduced Commerce Secretary Gary Locke as “unabashedly American who is proud of his heritage.” Well, take a bow, Mr. Secretary, you could have been describing yourself.

Mineta is on the board of many Asian American organizations. National Japanese American Memorial Foundation Executive Director Craig Uchida said in an interview: “Norm continues to serve on our board as vice chairman and is a tremendous supporter of the Foundation. He attends board meetings regularly. He participated in our strategic planning session in February. Every year, he engages in activities like the Freedom Walk, Day of Remembrance, and our annual gala in April. For our November 1 event in Houston that honors the 442 and the ‘Lost Battalion,’ Norm and his wife Deni are the National Co-Chairs with Lt. Governor Dewhurst and his wife.”

This year, House Speaker Pelosi, whose father was the mayor of Baltimore, also paid a lavish tribute on Mineta, former mayor of San Jose, California, at the annual event hosted by congressional leaders for the Asian American community.

Extraordinary

Mineta’s life is so outstanding that if you Google his name, you’d be in front of the computer all day. Hill & Knowlton knows it has a gem in its hands. Mineta provides counsel and strategic advice to Hill & Knowlton clients on a wide range of business and political issues–including expertise on national security and transportation (aviation, surface transportation, and infrastructure). He received the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy for his significant public service of enduring value to aviation in the U.S. He’s an expert on economic development, science and technology policy, foreign and domestic trade, the environment, budgetary issues and civil rights.

Mineta served in Congress for over 20 years. For almost three decades, he represented San Jose, California, first on the City Council, then as mayor. From 1975 to 1995, he served in the U.S. Congress. Mineta was vice president of Lockheed Martin before heading the Department of Commerce, where he oversaw the first successful implementation of the EZ-Pass system in New York State.