James Richard Perry, known as Rick Perry, is a former Governor of Texas and U.S. Secretary of Energy. Born on March 4, 1950, in the small rural community of Paint Creek, Texas, he attended Texas A&M University, graduating in 1972 with a degree in animal science. After college, Perry served as a captain in the United States Air Force, flying C-130 aircraft for six years. He later worked as a salesman for an agriculture company and managed his family's cotton farm near Haskell, Texas. Perry began his political career as a Democrat in the Texas House of Representatives from 1985 to 1991 before switching to the Republican Party. He rose through state government ranks, serving as Texas Commissioner of Agriculture and Lieutenant Governor, before ascending to the governorship upon George W. Bush's departure to the White House in 2000. Elected three times, he became Texas's longest-serving governor, holding the position until 2015. Perry sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2012 and 2016 without success. In 2017, President Donald Trump appointed him U.S. Secretary of Energy, a position he held until 2019.