On Sept 30, 2019, the WH announced the president’s intent to nominate William Ellison Grayson of California to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Estonia. The WH released a brief bio:
William E. Grayson is the National Director of the Family Offices of Bernstein Private Wealth Management in San Francisco, California. In a long career of public service, Mr. Grayson has served four Presidents. He was appointed by President Donald J. Trump to the Presidio Trust Board of Directors in San Francisco, California, where he was elected Board Chair by his fellow directors. During the Obama Administration he served as a Regional Panelist for the White House Fellows Commission. President George W. Bush appointed Mr. Grayson as a Commissioner on the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships and nominated him to the Internal Revenue Service Oversight Board. As Principal Deputy General Counsel of the Army under President George H.W. Bush, Mr. Grayson oversaw the Army’s 2,700 lawyers. Mr. Grayson received his B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and his J.D. degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law. He is the recipient of the Outstanding Civilian Service Award from the Secretary of the Army.
The Institute of Governmental Studies at the University of California Berkeley has a more extensive bio here. If confirmed, Mr. Grayson would succeed career diplomat James Desmond Melville Jr. (1957–) who served as Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Tallinn from December 8, 2015–July 29, 2018 (also see Ex-Amb. to Estonia James D. Melville Writes Why He Quit). Career FSO Elizabeth K. Horst (?–) served as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim at the US Embassy Tallinn from July 29, 2018–August 2, 2019. Post is currently headed by career FSO Brian Roraff as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim.
Trump previously nominated Retired Navy Rear Admiral Edward Masso to be Ambassador to Estonia in September 2017. The nomination for Edward Masso was withdrawn on May 24, 2018.
Grayson’s nomination is currently pending in Committee: 2019-10-15 PN1160 Department of State
Presidio Trust Board of Directors Elects William Ellison Grayson, Esq '76. as Board Chair of San Francisco's premier national park. https://t.co/3Vbc1GexBS pic.twitter.com/loDYJvwjRb
— St.Ignatius (@StIgnatius) April 16, 2019
President Donald J. Trump Appoints William Ellison Grayson to the Presidio Trust Board of Directors https://t.co/jehPHCD8AP pic.twitter.com/HLQRlP3jJA
— BusinessWireStaffing (@BW_Personnel) May 23, 2017
#Trump withdraws the nomination of Edward Masso to be the next ambassador to #Estonia – Estonian World https://t.co/p2yrzFWihZ
— Estonian World (@EstonianWorld) May 29, 2018
You must be logged in to post a comment.