Which U.S. cabinet secretary, from any period, do you most admire?

[Lincoln Republican]

Which U.S. cabinet secretary, from  any period, do you most admire?

Or U.S. cabinet secretaries, if you like.

Please discuss.

[Lincoln Republican]

Wow.

Seward seems to be universally acclaimed.

Anyone care to elaborate on  this  

Any others who should be on the most admired list?

[Lincoln Republican]

Elliot Richardson, who served in several cabinet positions, as well as other governmental positions at both the state and the national level. 

Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare
Secretary of Defense
U.S. Attorney General
Secretary of Commerce

It was as U.S. Attorney General where his integrity became very public as he refused to follow orders from President Nixon to fire the chief Watergate investigator, Archibald Cox.  Richardson resigned rather than fire the Watergate investigator.

From Wiki:

In October 1973, after Richardson had served just five months as Attorney General, President Nixon ordered him to fire the top lawyer investigating the Watergate scandal, Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox. Richardson had promised Congress he would not interfere with the Special Prosecutor, and, rather than disobey the President or break his promise, he resigned. President Nixon subsequently asked Richardson's second-in-command, Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus, to carry out the order. He too had promised to not interfere, and also tendered his resignation. The third in command, Solicitor General Robert Bork, also planned to resign, but Richardson persuaded him not to in order to ensure proper leadership at the Department of Justice during the crisis. Bork carried out the President's order, thus completing the events generally referred to as the Saturday Night Massacre.