An oral history interview with Ron Tammen

              WISCONSIN
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
An Oral History Interview with
RON TAMMEN
Interviewer: .Anita Hecht, Life History Services
Recording Date: June 5, 2009
Place: Portland, Oregon. Length: 3.5 hours
Ronald Leon Tammen was raised in Portland, Oregon, and attended Pacific University,
graduating in 1965 with a degree in political science. He then earned a Master's in political
science from the University of Michigan and won a Danforth Fellowship at Reed College. The
CIA recruited Tammen for a career training program, after which he chose to work in
Washington, DC, as a current intelligence analyst.
In 1969, he returned to the University of Michigan to complete his Ph.D. After finishing his
dissertation, Tammen became a staff consultant for the .Arms Control and Foreign Policy
Caucus, of which Senator William Proxmire served as Vice Chair. In 1972, Tammen joined Sen.
Proxmire's staff as a legislative assistant, a position he held for 10 years.
In 1982 he became Sen. Proxmire's Chief of Staff. He was responsible for developing and
executing annual legislative plans in the areas of foreign policy, national defense, international
trade, and budget and finance. When Sen. Proxmire became the dean of the Wisconsin
congressional delegation, he appointed Tammen as Chief of Staff for the delegation.
Tammen worked with Sen. Proxmire until the Senator retired in 1987 and maintained contact
with him through the rest of his life.
Ronald Tammen Interview Transcript
Proxmire Oral History Project