Henry H. Fowler was a founding member of the Bretton Woods Committee who saw the need for an organized effort to ensure that leading citizens spoke about the importance of the international financial institutions (IFIs).
Prior to his time as chair of the Committee, he served as secretary of the United States Department of the Treasury for over three years, from 1965 to 1968.
Prior to becoming the secretary, he served as under secretary until the resignation of C. Douglas Dillon.
Earlier in his government service, Fowler served in a variety of roles: assistant general counsel of the Tennessee Valley Authority, administrator of the National Production Authority, administrator of the Defense Production Administration, director of the Office of Defense Mobilization, member of the National Security Council, assistant general counsel of the Office of Production Management, assistant general counsel of the War Production Board, and member of the Commission on Money and Credit.
He held a juris doctor from Yale University and a bachelor's degree from Roanoke College.