Rob Portman - 2025 Medal for Distinguished Public Service
Rob Portman is the recipient of the 2025 Gerald R. Ford Medal for Distinguished Public Service. The medal was presented by Mike Ford, former chair of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, and Roger Porter, Foundation trustee, in Washington D.C. on June 2, 2025.
Senator Rob Portman receiving the Gerald R. Ford Medal for Distinguished Public Service at the Willard Hotel in Washington D.C.
Senator Rob Portman’s Public Impact
Senator Rob Portman has exemplified a lifetime of public service marked by integrity, bipartisanship, and unwavering dedication to the American people.
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, he earned a degree in anthropology from Dartmouth College in 1979 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan in 1984.
After beginning his career in private legal practice, Portman went on to serve in four presidential administrations and both chambers of Congress, where he built a distinguished legacy of leadership and results-driven policymaking.
From 1989 to 1991, Portman served as Associate Counsel and Director of Legislative Affairs under President George H. W. Bush. He later held two cabinet-level positions in the George W. Bush administration—as U.S. Trade Representative and as Director of the Office of Management and Budget—where he helped shape fiscal and international trade policy.
Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1993, Portman served six terms before his election to the Senate in 2011, where he represented the State of Ohio for two terms until 2023.
During his twelve years in the Senate, more than 220 of Portman’s bills were signed into law by Presidents Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. His legislative accomplishments include leading bipartisan efforts on infrastructure, workforce development, education reform, addiction recovery, and trade enforcement.
He authored the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act and the Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention Act—cornerstones in America’s response to the opioid epidemic. As co-founder and co-chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus and as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he also played a pivotal role in shaping U.S. foreign policy.
Respected for his civility, deep policy expertise, and work ethic, Portman has continued his public policy work as Chair of the Portman Center for Policy Solutions at the University of Cincinnati and as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.
His career reflects the highest standards of patriotism, diligence, and sound judgment. For his enduring commitment to public service and significant contributions to the nation, Senator Rob Portman is a deserving recipient of the President Gerald R. Ford Medal for Distinguished Public Service.
