Former U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Davidow Named President Of the Institute of the Americas
INSTITUTE OF THE AMERICAS JEFFREY DAVIDOW
Former U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Davidow named president of the Institute of the Americas. (Spanish) Ex Embajador De Estados Unidos Jeffrey Davidow Designado Presidente Del Instituto De Las Américas. (PRNewsFoto)[AS]
SAN DIEGO, CA USA 05/09/2003
SAN DIEGO, May 9 /<a href=www.prnewswire.com>PRNewswire/ -- The Institute of the Americas has elected the State Department's highest ranking diplomat and its most senior expert on Latin America to fill the office of President effective June 1, 2003.
Davidow will lead the Institute of the Americas, focusing on outreach and creating awareness of the Institute's programs. He will join the Institute during a period of rapid growth, renewed purpose and increased Institute participation. Davidow will report directly to the Institute's distinguished inter-American Board of Directors.
Prior to joining the Institute, Davidow served as visiting fellow at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, and was a visiting scholar at the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies. Davidow's State Department career spanned several decades, most recently serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico ('98-'02); Assistant Secretary of State for Latin America ('96-'98), Ambassador to Venezuela ('93-'96); Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Africa ('90-'93), and Ambassador to Zambia ('88-'90) -- where he worked closely on matters related to the eventual change of government in South Africa.
Davidow was declared a "Career Ambassador," a distinction given to just three individuals in the U.S. "This is not only a person with in-depth knowledge of Latin America, but he is a brilliant mind who has excellent managerial skills and has worked diligently to improve the operations of the U.S. Department of State," said Theodore E. Gildred, former Ambassador to Argentina.
Davidow holds a bachelor's degree in American history from the University of Massachusetts, and a master's degree in American studies from the University of Minnesota.
"We conducted a thorough search for an individual who could carry the Institute to new heights, increase its exposure and broaden our programs," said Gaston Luken, Institute Board Chairman.
On May 20th, the Institute of Americas is celebrating its 20th anniversary and will dedicate a new addition to its headquarters on the campus of the University of California, San Diego. The Institute is a California non-profit organization exempt from taxation under the Internal Revenue Code. The mission of the Institute is to be a significant catalyst for promoting development and integration, emphasizing the role of the private sector, as a means to improve the economic, political, and social well being of the people of the Americas.
For more information about the Institute or its programs, go to http://www.iamericas.org or call (858) 453-5560.