"Rocco C. Siciliano broke new ground as the first Italian-American to serve in the White House as an assistant to the president, Dwight D. Eisenhower. At 31, "Ike's Youngest" attained a prominence not suggested in his humble beginnings in Salt Lake City, Utah. His upbringing in the Mormon-dominated community, where he balanced the heritage of his striving immigrant parents with his own aspirations for success, prepared him for a wide variety of service. This service included leading a special weapons platoon in World War II, bringing Martin Luther King Jr. to meet with President Eisenhower, and becoming a recognized business leader in California." "Siciliano used his expertise in labor, personnel management, and business to contribute substantively to the J. Paul Getty Center, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, the Committee for Economic Development, and the "Volcker" Commission on Public Service, among others. His own efforts, through many trials and successes, enabled him to influence immigration policy, political reform, and cultural and artistic endeavors." "The variety of Rocco Siciliano's experiences reinvigorates our understanding of the forgotten art of public service. Walking on Sand emphasizes the role that public service can play for corporations, communities, states, and the nation."--BOOK JACKET.