John B. Emerson

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John B. Emerson
United States Ambassador to Germany
In office
August 26, 2013 – January 20, 2017
PresidentBarack Obama
DeputyKent Logsdon[1]
Preceded byPhil Murphy
Succeeded byRichard Grenell
Personal details
Born
John Bonnell Emerson

(1954-01-11) January 11, 1954 (age 70)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseKimberly Marteau
ChildrenHayley
Taylor
Jacqueline
Alma materHamilton College, New York
University of Chicago

John Bonnell Emerson (born January 11, 1954) is an American diplomat, lawyer, business executive and the former United States Ambassador to Germany, having served from 2013 to 2017.[2] Emerson was the 2015 recipient of the State Department’s Sue M. Cobb Award for Exemplary Diplomatic Service, which is given annually to a non-career ambassador who has used private sector leadership and management skills to make a significant impact on bilateral or multilateral relations through proactive diplomacy.[3] In 2017 he was the recipient of both the CIA Medal and the United States Navy Distinguished Public Service Award, which is its highest civilian honor.[4]

Emerson currently serves as Vice Chairman of Capital Group International. He has been the Chairman of the American Council on Germany since 2018.[5]

Biography

Emerson was raised in Bloomfield, New Jersey, and Larchmont, New York. He received his bachelor’s degree in government and philosophy from Hamilton College in 1975, and in 2017 the college named him an Honorary Doctor of Laws. After earning a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School in 1978, Emerson practiced law with Manatt, Phelps and Phillips and made partner in 1983.[6]

Emerson then served as deputy campaign manager for Gary Hart’s presidential campaign until its dissolution in May 1987. After questioning Hart about his weekend with Donna Rice when the story of their extramarital affair broke, Emerson said to another top aide, “I’m a team player. Hart can trust me to the moon. But I’m not buying this shit.”[7] Emerson was played by Tommy Dewey in Jason Reitman’s film about the scandal, The Front Runner, starring Hugh Jackman in the title role.[8]

Next Emerson served as chief deputy/chief of staff in the city attorney’s office in Los Angeles, under City Attorney James K. Hahn. In 1988 the Los Angeles Times recognized him as a “Rising Star” in Southern California.[9] Three years later, Emerson lost a race for the California State Assembly by 31 votes.[10]

Emerson was active in a number of subsequent political campaigns, including serving as Bill Clinton’s California campaign manager in 1992.[11][12] After Clinton was elected president, Emerson worked in the White House as deputy director of intergovernmental affairs. In that role he served as liaison to the nation’s governors and coordinated the administration’s efforts to obtain congressional approval of the Uruguay Round of the GATT trade agreement.[13]

During his tenure at the White House, Emerson was acknowledged as the president’s chief liaison in handling California issues such as the aftermath of the 1994 Northridge earthquake.[11][14] In Clinton’s autobiography, My Life, he dubbed Emerson “the Secretary of California” for his dedication to the state’s concerns.[15][16]

Emerson subsequently worked at Capital Group Companies, an international investment management company headquartered in Los Angeles. He became president of private client services and served in that capacity for 16 years.[17] During this period he chaired an independent citizens committee to redraw the city council lines for Los Angeles’ districts and presided over the 2003 opening of Walt Disney Concert Hall, as Chairman of the Los Angeles Music Center.[18][19][20][21]

In 2010 President Barack Obama appointed Emerson to his Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations, a post he held for three years.[22] In 2013 Obama tabbed Emerson as the U.S. ambassador to Germany.[23] After being confirmed by the U.S. Senate and sworn in, Emerson and his family arrived in Berlin on August 15, 2013.[24][12] Less than two months later, the news broke that the National Security Agency tapped the mobile phone of Angela Merkel, then Chancellor of Germany.[25] As the U.S. ambassador, it was Emerson’s responsibility to rebuild the broken trust between the governments.[26][27]

Upon returning to Los Angeles in January 2017, Emerson rejoined Capital Group as Vice Chairman of Capital International. In this capacity he works with colleagues and clients throughout the United States, Europe and Asia, focusing primarily on geopolitical risk.[5]

Personal life

Emerson is married to attorney and civic leader Kimberly Marteau Emerson.[28][29] They have three daughters: Hayley, Taylor and Jacqueline Emerson.[30]

Before and after moving to Germany Emerson and his wife were active in civic affairs, serving on a number of non-profit boards including the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, the Pacific Council on International Policy, the American Council on Germany (as Chairman), the German Marshall Fund, American Friends of the Munich Security Conference, the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, the Buckley School and Marlborough School.[31][32][33]

Emerson is a past recipient of the People for the American Way Spirit of Liberty Award, the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles Access to Justice Award, the American Jewish Committee’s Ira E. Yellin Community Leadership Award and the United Friends of the Children Brass Ring Award.[34][35]

References

  1. ^ "Deputy Chief of Mission". August 24, 2015. Archived from the original on September 13, 2009. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
  2. ^ Revesz, Rachel (January 20, 2017). "Donald Trump has fired all foreign US ambassadors with nobody to replace them". The Independent. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  3. ^ "Speakers", Milken Institute.
  4. ^ "About Us", The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation.
  5. ^ a b "About Us", American Council on Germany.
  6. ^ "2017 Hamilton College Honorary Degree", hamilton.edu, May 21, 2017.
  7. ^ Cramer, Richard Ben (1992). What It Takes: The Way to the White House (1st ed.). New York: Random House. p. 448. ISBN 0-394-56260-7. OCLC 24794262.
  8. ^ Breznican, Anthony (August 23, 2017). "Here's Who's Starring With Hugh Jackman In the Gary Hart Film The Front Runner". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  9. ^ "88 for 1988: Meet Southern California's Rising Stars". Los Angeles Times. 10 January 1988. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019.
  10. ^ Stall, Bill (June 12, 1991). "LOCAL ELECTIONS: 46TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT: Friedman Declared Winner by 31-Vote Margin". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  11. ^ a b Paul Richter, "Mr. Fix-It: When things don't run right in California, the White House calls on John Emerson. His job? Ensuring that the politicians--and the voters--are happy.", Los Angeles Times, May 29, 1994.
  12. ^ a b "Ambassador to Germany: Who Is John Emerson?", AllGov, June 24, 2013.
  13. ^ "Archived Content", U.S. Department of State.
  14. ^ Scott Harris, "Quake as a Political Mover and Shaker", Los Angeles Times, July 3, 1994.
  15. ^ Barabak, Mark Z. (June 4, 2023). "How California, land of Nixon and Reagan, turned blue and changed American politics". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  16. ^ Clinton, Bill (May 31, 2005). My Life. Knopf Publishing Group. p. 517. ISBN 140003003X.
  17. ^ Franz, Jared (January 22, 2021). "Washington watch: Priorities emerge under new leadership". RIA Insider. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  18. ^ "Sharing Power Fairly (Our Opinion)". Los Angeles Daily News. March 28, 2002. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  19. ^ Del Olmo, Frank (March 31, 2002). "Lines in the Valley Sand Underscore L.A.'s Future". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  20. ^ Valsamis, Liz (2003). "Ex-Adviser to Clinton Heads Music Center". Los Angeles Daily Journal. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  21. ^ "About Us", Los Angeles Music Center.
  22. ^ "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts". Office of the Press Secretary. September 15, 2010. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  23. ^ "New US ambassador arrives in Berlin with focus on trade issues", Deutsche Welle, August 15, 2013.
  24. ^ "US-Botschafter Emerson tritt schwierigen Posten an - Spiegel Online". Spiegel Online (in German). Retrieved August 15, 2013.
  25. ^ "The NSA's Secret Spy Hub in Berlin". Spiegel International. October 27, 2013. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  26. ^ Oltermann, Philip (October 24, 2013). "Germany summons US ambassador over claim NSA bugged Merkel's phone". The Guardian. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  27. ^ Eddy, Melissa (June 12, 2015). "Germany Drops Inquiry Into Claims U.S. Tapped Angela Merkel's Phone". The New York Times. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  28. ^ "Kimberly Marteau Emerson". USC Center on Public Diplomacy.
  29. ^ "Kimberly Marteau Emerson". Human Rights Watch. April 2015.
  30. ^ "Ex-Ambassador Emerson on the US election campaign: "It will be 100 percent about how Trump handles the crisis"". Spiegel Online (in German). Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  31. ^ ""Ex-US Ambassador Emerson: "At the end of the day, Germany is doing the right thing""". Editorial Network Germany (in German). Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  32. ^ "American Friends of the Munich Security Conference", securityconference.org.
  33. ^ "About Us", Pacific Council on International Policy.
  34. ^ Archerd, Army (September 22, 2004). "'Sammy' to see sequel, screen". Variety. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  35. ^ "United Friends Honors Kimberly Marteau Emerson, Ambassador John Emerson and Tremale Berger at 2018 Brass Ring Awards Dinner", United Friends of the Children, June 1, 2018.

External links

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External links

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by United States Ambassador to Germany
2013–2017 		Succeeded by
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