Brad Huther, the chief financial officer at the Housing and Urban Development Department, died June 8.
In a June 9 email to staff, HUD Secretary Julian Castro and deputy secretary Nani Coloretti called Huther "the gold standard for public service" Huther had been nominated by President Obama in March, 2014 and had been confirmed by the Senate later that year.
"He was a leader whose intellect allowed him to master complex policy and whose integrity made him a champion for everyday people who often count on good government the most," they wrote. "As Brad once said, the best way to solve difficult challenges is to commit to "hard work" and to "roll up your sleeves and put your nose to the grindstone."
They said Huther had come out of retirement in 2014 to join the HUD team and had always shown a willingness to work hard to transform the field and the agency he worked for.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Huther family and with all those whose lives will be forever touched by Brad's generosity. We will always hold Brad in our hearts," they wrote.
During the 1980s and 1990s Huther was the CFO and chief operating officer for major agencies within the Commerce Department. He was also a Special Attaché at the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva, Switzerland; and a senior director at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He was also a distinguished adjunct professor in residence at American University.
