Career
He was the first United States Deputy Secretary of Commerce (1980-1981), appointed under Jimmy Carter. Previously Under Secretary of Commerce, he had been tapped to replace Juanita M. Kreps as Secretary of Commerce, but, after a spell as Acting Secretary, the job went to Philip Klutznick, and the new Deputy Secretary position was created for him. Hodges" father, Luther H. Hodges, Senior, had been Secretary of Commerce under John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson between 1961 and 1965, and was also the 64th governor of North Carolina.
He later became the chairman of the Greater Washington Board of Trade.
He was chairman of Washington Bancorp, the parent company of National Bank of Washington for ten years, until he resigned in 1990. Later, Hodges became the owner/publisher of The Santa Fean Magazine and owned the Hotel Santa Fe (Santa Fe, New Mexico).
He entered politics in 1978, running for the Democratic nomination in the 1978 Senate election in North Carolina. Hodges began his political career as a Democrat, but later changed to Republican.
In 2004, Hodges contributed more than $30,000 to Republican candidates including: George West. Bush and Dick Cheney and Senator Richard Burr.
In 2012, Hodges contributed over $51,000 to Republican candidates and organizataions including: Mitt Romney. Renee Ellmers (R-North Carolina) and Virginia Foxx (R-North Carolina). Hodges served on the board of the North Carolina State Ports Authority from 2005-2007 and again starting in 2012.
