SSA Commissioners

Stanford G. Ross

October 5, 1978 to December 31, 1979

Stanford Ross was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He received a bachelor's degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1953, and a law degree from Harvard University in 1956. From 1957 to 1958 Mr. Ross was a teaching fellow and research assistant at Harvard Law School. Prior to becoming Assistant Tax Legislative Counsel for the Treasury Department in 1961, he practiced law in New York City. From 1963 to 1967 Mr. Ross was a Professor at the New York University School of Law. During 1967-1968 Mr. Ross was a White House staff assistant, working on domestic programs. He served as General Counsel for the Department of the Treasury from 1968 to 1969, before leaving to practice law, specializing in Federal law and administrative law. In 1978 Mr. Ross became the first non- career civil servant to be appointed Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, a post he held for 13 months before resigning to start a law firm with Joesph A. Califano, former Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare.