Brokering Power In Business and Politics

"He has been very remorseful ever since," Powell said. "But it did make it difficult for him to get back into government."

Malek's private sector positions and the number of deals he has made in business are almost too long to list. He worked for McKinsey & Co. He led a buyout of Northwest Airlines and CB Richard Ellis. His longest stint at any company was 14 years at Marriott International starting in the 1970s, where he rose to become president of the company's hotel division. At Marriott, he became close with a junior executive named Lee Pillsbury, and the two later became partners in Thayer Lodging Group, an Annapolis company that owns more than a dozen hotels. Malek is still active in its day-to-day operations.

Pillsbury said that during their time at Marriott, Malek "had the most discipline of anyone I had ever met. His time management was legendary. He walked in to the office at 5 minutes to 8 and left at 5 minutes after 5, and everything was done and finished on time the way it was supposed to be."

Nearly everyone who has worked with Malek said the precision of his actions are legendary and border on the bizarre. "When Fred tells you that he will go to the bathroom at 10, it's not going to be 9:59 or 10:01. There is nothing too trivial for Fred to keep his word on," Pillsbury said.

That reputation seemed to connect the owner of the logistics company to Malek. After Rued and the investment banker chatted privately, the group made its way to a conference room not far from Malek's office. They sat at a long, shiny wooden table. Rued, the investment banker and the company's owner took off their jackets and loosened their ties. Malek stayed buttoned up, jacket on.

Rued made a presentation about how he saw the man's firm fitting into theirs. But the owner had questions. He had lots of questions. And he seemed hesitant, particularly about giving up total control. Malek said he understood how he felt: "It's like jumping out of an airplane." At one point, the man looked at Malek and said, "I want to do this with you." Malek asked what he meant. The man said he wanted to go around the country and make nice-nice with potential customers with Malek at his side. "I want you to be you, to do your thing" the man said. Again, he repeated, "I want to do this with you."

Malek said yes, he would help the owner build relationships with customers. "I do what I say I'm going to do," Malek added. "That's why I've been around so long."