Ken Duberstein, Zeta Beta Tau passes at 77

White House chief of staff Ken Duberstein in his White House West Wing office in 1988 (Photo by Dirck Halstead/Getty Images)

We share with sorrow that Brother Kenneth M. Duberstein, Alpha Tau (Franklin and Marshall) 1965, entered the Chapter Eternal on March 2 at the age of 77. We are incredibly proud to have called Ken a brother of Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity. He was a leader in the United States government serving with the ideals of Zeta Beta Tau in the forefront and his achievements mark him as a man who stood above his brothers and fellow citizens.

From 1988-1989, Brother Duberstein served as Chief of Staff to President Ronald Reagan. He is generally said to be the first Jewish American to serve in that role. In addition to his incredible 40-year political career, Brother Duberstein was an expert consultant for the popular White House-based television show, The West Wing. He gave back to global organizations in many civic service and volunteer roles. He has served Board of Directors for The Boeing Company and Dell, Inc., among other major corporations. He is a Lifetime Trustee of Franklin & Marshall College and The Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. He is chairman of the Harvard University Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School, a 10-year board member of the Council on Foreign Relations. The Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity recognized Brother Duberstein as a Man of the Year in 2020. He embodied the teachings of our Ritual and the commitment to better the communities in which we live and the Brotherhood of Man.

He is survived by his wife, Jacquelyn, and four children. May his memory be a blessing.

Read more: Reagan chief of staff Ken Duberstein dies at age 77 (CNN)