To commemorate Administrative Professionals Day, Betty Currie, former personal secretary to President Bill Clinton, addressed nearly 50 GROWMARK employees about her experiences working in such an important role.
An Illinois native, Currie held secretarial positions with the Navy, United States Postal Service, and the Peace Corps before taking early retirement in 1984. She decided to volunteer her skills working for the Mondale/Ferrero campaign that year and quickly found she enjoyed political work.
"I never considered myself a very political person, but the words 'I'd like to volunteer' open a lot of doors," she said.
Four years later, she accepted a paid role in the Dukakis/Bentsen campaign. After losing that election, she decided to step out of politics but was invited to be part of the Clinton/Gore campaign in 1992.
"I wasn't sure about going to Little Rock, if I'd like it, but I visited and fell in love with the people and the town, so I decided to give it a try," she said.
After Clinton was elected, she became part of the transition team because she understood shorthand. When she was offered the position of personal secretary to the new president, "it took about two seconds to say yes!"
She served President Clinton for eight years, and remains in touch with him and his family. She also cared for the Clintons' cat, Socks, after they left the White House.
Currie credits her success to her dedication and work ethic, being in the right place at the right time, and taking advantage of opportunities as they arose.
"If you want to succeed, you should strike a new path, not go by the one that is easy or expected," she added.
Outside of school, Keen enjoys running barrel horses. She is involved with numerous barrel racing organizations, where she has competed at the state, regional, national, and world levels. Last year, Keen finished 7th in the world on the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association junior card. This year, she will receive her WPRA Permit, allowing her to explore additional opportunities.
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