Brandon Friedman

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]

Brandon Friedman
Brandon Friedman
Born
Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S.
EducationLouisiana State University Shreveport (BA)
University of Texas at Dallas (MPA)
Occupation(s)Founder, Rakkasan Tea Company
WebsiteRakkasan Tea Company
AllegianceUnited States United States
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service2000–2004
Rank Captain
Unit101st Airborne Division
Battles/warsOperation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom
Awards Bronze Star (2)
Other workBusinessman, writer, government official

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.[2]

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

References
  1. "Mike Allen's must-read briefing on what's driving the day in Washington". Politico. July 6, 2015. Archived from the original on July 14, 2015. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  2. "Obama administration alum launches firm". PRWeek. July 7, 2015. Archived from the original on September 27, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  3. "These Dallas-based combat veterans want to change the way Americans look at tea". The Dallas Morning News. April 30, 2018. Archived from the original on April 21, 2022. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  4. "Mike Allen's must-read briefing on what's driving the day in Washington". Politico. April 1, 2014. Archived from the original on December 25, 2014. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  5. "Local Soldier Writes About The War He Always Wanted". KTBS-TV. July 2007. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  6. "Alumni Profiles - School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas". University of Texas at Dallas. September 2014. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  7. "Distinguished Alumni Award, Louisiana State University in Shreveport". Louisiana State University in Shreveport. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  8. Wood, David (October 21, 2007). "A soldier's look at the real war in Afghanistan and Iraq". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  9. McMorris-Santoro, Evan (June 5, 2014). "Exclusive: HUD Official Apologizes For Tweets Critical Of Bergdahl's Unit". BuzzFeed. Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  10. "Brandon Friedman". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  11. "The Best Military Books of the Decade". Military Times. Archived from the original on November 7, 2011. Retrieved December 17, 2011.
  12. Publishers Weekly Archived 2008-10-07 at the Wayback Machine, 25 June 2007
  13. A soldier's look at the real war in Afghanistan and Iraq - Baltimore Sun Archived 2014-11-29 at the Wayback Machine, David Wood, October 21, 2007
  14. Murphy, Bill (March 24, 2011). "VA enlists harsh critics as it belatedly embraces the Web". Stars and Stripes. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  15. Hasson, Judi (August 17, 2011). "Veterans Affairs Department Emerges As Social Media Model In Government". AOL Government. Archived from the original on July 8, 2012. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
  16. "FleishmanHillard Announces New Military and Veterans Affairs Group". FleishmanHillard.com. June 12, 2013. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  17. "Politico Playbook: Mike Allen's must-read briefing on what's driving the day in Washington". Politico. April 1, 2014. Archived from the original on December 25, 2014. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  18. "Meet the Army Vets Making an Impact Through Tea". Dallas MAgazine. March 1, 2020. Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
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