Who is Fleming Pickering from Line of Fire and what is their importance?

Fleming Pickering is Chairman of the Board of the Pacific and Far East Shipping Corporation. He is also a Navy Captain and works for Frank Knox who is Secretary of the Navy. Fleming Pickering meets Frank Knox when he refuses to sell his cargo fleet to the Navy. Knox offers Pickering a position working for him filing reports on various aspects of Navy and Marine activities. He travels wherever he has to go.