Tag Archives: Mike Mansfield

Trump Nominates William Francis Hagerty IV of Tennessee to be US Ambassador to Japan

March 28, 2017 By in Nominations, Officially In, Political Appointees, Trump Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Posted: 2:19 am ET
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On March 23, President Trump announced his intent to nominate William Francis Hagerty IV of Tennessee to be his ambassador to Japan. The WH released the following brief bio:

William Francis Hagerty IV of Tennessee to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Japan. Bill Hagerty began his career with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in 1984 as an International Management Consultant and spent three years in Japan managing BCG’s business with western clients throughout Japan and Asia. In 1991, Mr. Hagerty moved to Washington, D.C. to work as a White House Fellow reporting to the Vice President and focusing on international trade, commerce, treasury, defense, and telecom. Mr. Hagerty returned to the private sector in 1993 and served as CEO and board member of companies with extensive operations in Asia and Europe. From 2011 to 2015, Mr. Hagerty served in the Tennessee Governor’s Cabinet as Secretary for Trade and Commerce. During his tenure, Tennessee was the top state for jobs and economic growth from 2013 to 2015 and led the nation in foreign direct investment, 60% of which came from Japan.  Mr. Hagerty has BS and JD degrees from Vanderbilt University. He and his wife, Chrissy, live in Nashville with their four children.

US Ambassador’s House, Tokyo, Japan (Photo via State/OBO)

Additional details from his online bio:

In July of 2016, Bill Hagerty took a leave of absence from Hagerty Peterson to serve as Director of Presidential Appointments for the 2016 Trump Presidential Transition Team, where he is responsible for the planning and execution of the process to effect the largest leadership transition in the world – one that ultimately encompasses over 4,000 Presidential Appointments.

A native of Tennessee, Mr. Hagerty attended Vanderbilt University and graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in Economics. He then attended Vanderbilt Law School as a Wilson Scholar and was elected to the Law Review where he served as Associate Editor.

Hagerty Peterson & Company, LLC where Mr. Hagerty is founder and Managing Director has an extensive biography here.

If confirmed, Mr. Hagerty would succeed Caroline Kennedy who was appointed as President Obama’s Ambassador to Japan from November 12, 2013 until January 18, 2017. Other predecessors to this position at US Embassy Tokyo include Douglas MacArthur II, U. Alexis Johnson, Mike Mansfield, and Walter Mondale.

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Officially In: Danny Russel – from WH/NSS to the EAP Bureau

May 21, 2013 By in Foreign Service, FSOs, Nominations, Officially In, Regional Bureaus, Top Ranks Tags: , , , , , , , ,

On May 15, 2013, President Obama announced his intent to nominate Danny Russel as the next Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (State/EAP). The WH released the following brief bio:

Danny Russel, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, is Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Asian Affairs on the White House National Security Staff (NSS).  From 2009 to 2011, he was the NSS Director for Japan, South Korea, and North Korea.  Before joining the NSS, Mr. Russel was Director of the Office of Japanese Affairs at the Department of State.  From 2005 to 2008, he was U.S. Consul General in Osaka-Kobe, Japan.  Previously, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in The Hague from 2002 to 2005, and as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Nicosia, Cyprus from 1999 to 2002.  From 1996 to 1999, Mr. Russel was Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs.  Earlier assignments included posts at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, Korea and with the U.S. Mission to the United Nations.  Before joining the Foreign Service in 1985, Mr. Russel was a manager for an international firm based in New York City.

His bio posted on the Institute of Korean-American Studies indicates that Mr. Russel was educated at Sarah Lawrence College and University College, University of London, UK. He is married to Keiko Abo Russel and has three children: Emily, Byron and Kevin.

He joined the Foreign Service in 1985, was posted to Tokyo and according to his bio, served as the assistant to Ambassador and former Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield until 1987.

He worked twice previously with Ambassador Thomas Pickering – first from 1989-92 at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York as Political Adviser to the Permanent Representative, Ambassador Pickering, and was accredited to the Security Council.  And again from 1997-99 when he was Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Ambassador Pickering. In 1996 he was awarded the State Department’s Una Chapman Cox Fellowship sabbatical and wrote a book, America’s Place in the World, published by Georgetown University.

Click here to read this item from Dispatch Japan on a possible Caroline Kennedy appointment to Tokyo, seniority and other bureau details on this appointment.

If confirmed, Mr. Russel would succeed Kurt M. Campbell who was appointed EAP Assistant Secretary in 2009 and resigned in February 2013.

–DS