February 6 Speaker

Tom Vilsack

Tom Vilsack is an American politician and attorney currently serving as the CEO of the World Food Prize Foundation, a position he assumed on March 1, 2025. A prominent figure in American agricultural policy, Vilsack served two non-consecutive terms as the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, first under President Barack Obama (2009–2017) and later under President Joe Biden (2021–2025). During his second tenure, he focused on expanding climate-smart agriculture, enhancing school nutrition standards, and increasing competition in meat processing.

Prior to his federal service, Vilsack was a two-term Governor of Iowa (1999–2007), where he was the first Democrat to hold the office in over 30 years. His political career began in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, where he served as mayor and later as a state senator. Between his Cabinet roles, he served as the president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council from 2017 to 2021. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Hamilton College and a law degree from Albany Law School.