1996 Freedom Flame Award: William J. Casey

William J. Casey was — to the enormous benefit of our nation — a man consistently ahead of his time. From his vital role as Chief of Secret Intelligence in Europe for the Office of Secret Services to his extraordinary stewardship of Ronald Reagan’s Central Intelligence Agency, Bill Casey’s strategic vision shaped several of the defining moments in America history. His passionate commitment to freedom–and the subtle, rarified strategies he used to help bring it to hundreds of millions of victims of fascist and communist repression–is one of the truly great stories of our time and why the Center for Security Policy is so honored to posthumously award him the Center’s 1996 ‘Freedom Flame’ award.

Bill came to accomplish his great feats for America’s security by a rich and varied background of senior positions in both the public and private sectors. Indeed, it was the highly successful merger of Bill Casey’s Wall Street and national security experiences that largely gave birth to the field of International Economic Security–the overarching theme of the Casey Institute’s work program and raison d’etre.

In the public sector, Bill Casey served as Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Undersecretary of State for Economic Affairs and President of the U.S. Export-Import Bank. He likewise served in pivotal positions for the election campaigns of both Presidents Nixon and Reagan. His pinnacle of effectiveness came during his six years as Director of Central Intelligence under President Reagan.

Bill was likewise a luminary in the private sector where he translated his Fordham and St. John’s degrees into an outstanding career in law and finance. He understood the uniqueness of the skills he possessed and undertook to share them through lecture series and many publications.

The blending of this extraordinary man’s life experiences made an incalculable difference in both restoring American power and prestige around the world and providing “early warning” for the coming abuses and security concerns associated with international trade, financial, energy and technology flows. For all of his distinguished service to our country and that of his proud family, it is a genuine privilege for us to honor William J. Casey with our 1996 Freedom Flame.