Brandon Friedman Explained

Brandon Friedman
Birth Place:Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S.
Education:Louisiana State University Shreveport (BA)
University of Texas at Dallas (MPA)
Occupation:Founder, Rakkasan Tea Company
Website:Rakkasan Tea Company
Allegiance: United States
Serviceyears:20002004
Rank: Captain
Unit:101st Airborne Division
Battles:Operation Enduring Freedom

Operation Iraqi Freedom

Awards: Bronze Star (2)
Laterwork:Businessman, writer, government official

Brandon Friedman is an American writer, entrepreneur and former Obama administration official. He was CEO of the McPherson Square Group[1] [2] before co-founding Rakkasan Tea Company in 2017.[3] Previously, he served as the deputy assistant secretary for public affairs at the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.[4]

Early life and education

Friedman was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana. He has a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Dallas (2006) and a BA in history from Louisiana State University in Shreveport (2000).[5] [6] [7]

Career

Friedman began his career as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division. In March 2002, he led a rifle platoon into Afghanistan's Shah-e-Kot Valley to engage Taliban and al Qaeda fighters as part of Operation Anaconda—a battle later written about by journalist Sean Naylor in Not a Good Day to Die. A year later, Friedman commanded a platoon during the invasion of Iraq. He led troops during combat and counterinsurgency operations in Hillah, Baghdad, and Tal Afar. Friedman left active duty in 2004 after spending the latter portion of his Iraq tour as a rifle company executive officer. He was awarded two Bronze Stars for his service in Afghanistan and Iraq.[8] [9]

From 2007 to 2009, Friedman was a vice chairman and spokesperson for VoteVets.org, a political action committee and non-profit 501(c)(4) with a mission of getting veterans elected to public office.[10]

In 2007 he wrote The War I Always Wanted, a non-fiction memoir of his experiences in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. It was named by the Army Times in 2010 as one of their best military books of the decade.[11] Publishers Weekly called the book "cynical but appealing".[12] The Baltimore Sun stated, "You'll want to read parts aloud."[13]

In 2009, Friedman accepted a role as the first director of digital media at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, D.C. According to Stars and Stripes, his job was to "revolutionize how the VA interacts with veterans on the Internet."[14] In 2011, AOL Government noted that VA was "becoming a model for other agencies" in the area of social media communication.[15]

After leaving VA in 2012, Friedman joined the global public relations firm FleishmanHillard as a vice president.[16]

In March 2014, Friedman was appointed by the Obama administration as the deputy assistant secretary for public affairs at the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.[17]

Friedman left HUD in July 2015 and launched the McPherson Square Group, a public relations firm.

In 2017 Friedman and Terrence Kamauf founded Rakkasan Tea Company to sell loose leaf teas from post-conflict areas.[18]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mike Allen's must-read briefing on what's driving the day in Washington . . July 6, 2015 . July 14, 2015 . July 14, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150714221605/http://www.politico.com/playbook/0715/playbook18998.html . live .
  2. Web site: Obama administration alum launches firm . . July 7, 2015 . July 14, 2015 . September 27, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180927113150/https://www.prweek.com/article/1355061/obama-administration-alum-launches-firm-veteran-specialty . live .
  3. Web site: These Dallas-based combat veterans want to change the way Americans look at tea . . April 30, 2018 . April 22, 2022 . April 21, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220421205547/https://www.dallasnews.com/business/2018/04/30/these-dallas-based-combat-veterans-want-to-change-the-way-americans-look-at-tea-culture/ . live .
  4. Web site: Mike Allen's must-read briefing on what's driving the day in Washington . Politico . April 1, 2014 . April 16, 2014 . December 25, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141225210535/http://www.politico.com/playbook/0414/playbook13464.html . live .
  5. Web site: Local Soldier Writes About The War He Always Wanted . . July 2007 . November 15, 2014 . November 29, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141129035414/http://www.ktbs.com/story/22333028/soldier-writes-about-the-war-he-always-wanted . live .
  6. Web site: Alumni Profiles - School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas . University of Texas at Dallas . September 2014 . November 15, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141129015541/http://www.utdallas.edu/epps/people/brandon-friedman.html . November 29, 2014 . dead .
  7. Web site: Distinguished Alumni Award, Louisiana State University in Shreveport . Louisiana State University in Shreveport . November 15, 2014 . November 29, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141129021503/http://www.lsus.edu/offices-and-services/alumni-services/about-us/distinguished-alumni-award . live .
  8. News: Wood . David . A soldier's look at the real war in Afghanistan and Iraq . . October 21, 2007 . November 15, 2014 . November 29, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141129015913/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2007-10-21/news/0710200096_1_friedman-war-afghanistan-and-iraq . live .
  9. News: McMorris-Santoro . Evan . Exclusive: HUD Official Apologizes For Tweets Critical Of Bergdahl's Unit . . June 5, 2014 . November 15, 2014 . June 21, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220621142003/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/evanmcsan/exclusive-hud-official-apologizes-for-tweets-critical-of-ber . live .
  10. Web site: Brandon Friedman . The Huffington Post . November 15, 2014 . November 29, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141129031647/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brandon-friedman/ . live .
  11. Web site: The Best Military Books of the Decade . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20111107215651/http://militarytimes.com/entertainment/books/offduty_best_militarybooks_011110/ . November 7, 2011 . Military Times . December 17, 2011.
  12. http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6454265.html Publishers Weekly
  13. http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2007-10-21/news/0710200096_1_friedman-war-afghanistan-and-iraq A soldier's look at the real war in Afghanistan and Iraq - Baltimore Sun
  14. News: Murphy . Bill . VA enlists harsh critics as it belatedly embraces the Web . . March 24, 2011 . November 15, 2014 . November 29, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141129021845/http://www.stripes.com/news/va-enlists-harsh-critics-as-it-belatedly-embraces-the-web-1.138798 . live .
  15. News: Hasson . Judi . August 17, 2011 . Veterans Affairs Department Emerges As Social Media Model In Government . AOL Government . dead . https://archive.today/20120708122432/http://gov.aol.com/2011/08/17/veterans-affairs-department-emerges-as-social-media-model-in-gov/ . July 8, 2012 . March 11, 2012.
  16. Web site: FleishmanHillard Announces New Military and Veterans Affairs Group . FleishmanHillard.com . June 12, 2013 . April 16, 2014 . April 19, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140419011856/http://fleishmanhillard.com/2013/06/news-and-opinions/fleishmanhillard-announces-new-military-and-veterans-affairs-group/ . dead .
  17. Web site: Politico Playbook: Mike Allen's must-read briefing on what's driving the day in Washington . Politico . April 1, 2014 . April 16, 2014 . December 25, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141225210535/http://www.politico.com/playbook/0414/playbook13464.html . live .
  18. Web site: Meet the Army Vets Making an Impact Through Tea . Dallas MAgazine . March 1, 2020 . November 22, 2021 . June 21, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220621141934/https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2020/march/tea-deep-ellum-army-vets-rakkasan-tea-company/ . live .

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