Pedro Cortés
Photograph used with Permission from the Pennsylvania Department of State [http://www.dos.state.pa.us Department of State Website
Early Life
Pedro A. Cortés was born on May 28, 1966 in Carolina, Puerto Rico. A product of the public school system of Puerto Rico, Mr. Cortés speaks highly of the quality of education that he received in his native island. His mother, Divina, always encouraged him to pursue education since she was not able to finish high school herself due to family circumstances. As a shining example of the value of education, Divina completed her studies for a GED degree at the very time that Mr. Cortés completed high school.
Education and Training
Mr. Cortés attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, MA and graduated in May 1989 with a Bachelor of Science in Hotel, Restaurant and Travel Administration.
Mr. Cortés thereafter attended The Pennsylvania State University — Dickinson School of Law, in Carlisle, PA graduating in May 1999 with a Juris Doctor degree.
He then studied at The Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg, PA, and graduated with a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, in December 2000.
He also received a Certificate in Public Sector Human Resources Management from the The Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg, PA, in August 2000.
He is a member of the Council of State Governments, Lexington, KY, and is a Henry Toll Fellow(Selected 2004 Class Representative), July 2004.
Most recently, on May 18, 2008, Mr. Cortés was conferred a Doctorate Degree honoris causa from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, PA.
Public Service in Pennsylvania
Mr. Cortés was nominated as Secretary of the Commonwealth by Governor Edward G. Rendell on April 2, 2003 and was unanimously confirmed by the Senate on May 13, 2003, making him the first confirmed Latino Cabinet member in Pennsylvania history.
The Secretary of the Commonwealth administers the Department of State. The Department protects the public's health, safety and welfare by licensing more than one million business, health and real estate professionals; maintaining registration and financial information for thousands of charities soliciting contributions from Pennsylvanians; overseeing Pennsylvania's electoral process; maintaining corporate filings; and sanctioning professional boxing, kick-boxing and wrestling in the Commonwealth.
By statute, the Secretary is a member of the Board of Property, the Board of Finance and Revenue, the Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement Board, the State Athletic Commission and the Navigation Commission for the Delaware River and its Navigable Tributaries. The Secretary is the keeper of the Great Seal of the Commonwealth and has the duty of authenticating government documents through the seal's use. Secretary Cortés is also the Commonwealth's Chief Election Official.
Previously, Secretary Cortés was the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Governor's Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs. As Executive Director, he made recommendations to the Governor and the administration on policies, procedures and legislation that enhanced the status of the Latino community in Pennsylvania. As the Governor's liaison to the Latino community, he ensured that state government was accessible, accountable and responsive to the needs of Latinos and that strategies and programs were developed to enhance the community's social and economic status.
Secretary Cortés has also served with the PA State Civil Service Commission and the PA Department of Public Welfare. For years, he has also been active with many community and government related organizations, including the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS). He currently serves as NASS President-Elect. In July 2008 he will become the association's President, making him the first Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth to serve in that role in the organization's 104-year history.
Awards and Recognition
Mr. Cortés has been the recipient of numerous awards, including:
- The Hispanic Business Magazine's 100 Most Influential Hispanics in the United States;
- The National Notary Association’s 50 Most Influential People in Notarization in the Last 50 Years and March Fong Eu Achievement Award;
- The Multicultural Affairs Congress' Delaware Valley's Most Influential Latino;
- The American Lawyer Media Lawyers on the Fast Track;
- Central Penn Business Journal's top Forty Under 40 business leaders in Central Pennsylvania;
- The Pennsylvania State University Alumni Fellow, the most prestigious award given by the Penn State Alumni Association.
- In June 2004, Secretary Cortés was one of 40 state leaders from across the country selected to participate in the renowned Toll Fellowship Program sponsored by the Council of State Governments. His peers elected him 2004 Class Representative.
Mr. Cortés is married to Lissette Lizardi-Cortés and they have a daughter: Gabriela. The Cortés family has lived in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania since 1990.