Stettinius, Edward R . (Reilly), Jr. (1900–1949), a United States industrialist and statesman. He was secretary of state under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1944–45. Stettinius was born in Chicago. He attended the University of Virginia, 1919–24. After serving as vice president of General Motors Corporation and as chairman of the board of United States Steel Corporation, he became an adviser to the Council of National Defense in 1940. Stettinius was administrator of the Lend-Lease Program (1941–43), was appointed undersecretary of state in 1943, and succeeded Cordell Hull as secretary of state. In 1945 he became the United States representative to the United Nations.