Craig Roberts Stapleton

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Harveyle (talk | contribs) at 02:48, 4 September 2016. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Craig Roberts Stapleton
61st United States Ambassador to France
In office
July 25, 2005 – 2009
PresidentGeorge W. Bush
Barack Obama
Preceded byHoward H. Leach
Succeeded byCharles Rivkin
4th United States Ambassador to the Czech Republic
In office
2001–2004
PresidentGeorge W. Bush
Preceded byJohn Shattuck
Succeeded byWilliam J. Cabaniss
Personal details
Born1945 (age 78–79)
Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
SpouseDorothy Walker Stapleton
Children2
Parents
  • Benjamin Franklin Stapleton Jr. (father)
  • Katherine Histed Hall Jr. (mother)
ResidenceGreenwich, Connecticut
Alma materHarvard University
OccupationDiplomat, Businessman

Craig Roberts Stapleton (born 1945) is a former United States ambassador to France and the Czech Republic.[1]

Biography

Early life

Craig Stapleton was born in Kansas City, Missouri. His grandfather, Benjamin F. Stapleton, was a politician who served five terms as mayor of Denver.[2] He received his secondary school education at Phillips Exeter Academy and a B.A. (magna cum laude) from Harvard University. He received his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.[3] His wife, Dorothy Walker Stapleton, is a first cousin of former U.S. president George H.W. Bush.

Career

He served as President of Marsh and McLennan Real Estate Advisors of New York from 1982 until 2001. From 1989 to 1998 Stapleton co-owned the Texas Rangers baseball team with George W. Bush.[3] He has served on the board of directors for several companies including Allegheny Properties, Metro PCS, TB Woods and Winston Partners.[3] In July 2009, he became a co-owner of the St. Louis Cardinals.[4]

During the administration of George H.W. Bush, Stapleton sat on the Board of the Peace Corps. He served as ambassador to the Czech Republic from August 2001 to December 2003.[5] In 2004, he was the Connecticut State Chairman for the Bush-Cheney reelection campaign. In June 2005 he was appointed ambassador to France and served until July 2009.[5] He is a member of CERGE-EI Foundation supporting economic education in transition and developing countries.

In 2007 he recommended to the Bush administration that they wage a trade war on European crops, due to European resistance to genetically modified foods such as MON 810, thus denying a key US export.[6]

"Ambassador Stapleton goes on to write, quote, "Country team Paris recommends that we calibrate a target retaliation list that causes some pain across the EU since this is a collective responsibility, but that also focuses in part on the worst culprits. The list should be measured rather than vicious and must be sustainable over the long term, since we should not expect an early victory," he wrote."

Stapleton made an appearance on the Food Network show, The Next Iron Chef in 2007. The final three chefs remaining in the competition each prepared a three-course American-themed dinner for the ambassador and 20 guests. The competition took place in the ambassador's official residence.[7]

Personal life

He and his wife live in Greenwich, Connecticut and have two adult children; his son Walker Stapleton was elected Colorado State Treasurer in 2010.

References

  1. ^ "Craig Robert Stapleton". Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 2016-01-06.
  2. ^ Sealover, Ed (2009-04-07). "Businessman Stapleton to Run for Colorado Treasurer". Denver Business Journal. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  3. ^ a b c "Ambassador Craig Roberts Stapleton". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2007-11-12.
  4. ^ "Craig R. Stapleton". Council of American Ambassadors. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  5. ^ a b "Craig Robert Stapleton". Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  6. ^ "WikiLeaks: U.S. Wanted Trade War Over GM Crops". CBS News. 2011-01-04. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
  7. ^ "Lead and Inspire". The Next Iron Chef. Season 1. Episode 5. 2007-11-04. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)

External links

Media related to Craig Roberts Stapleton at Wikimedia Commons

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic
2001–2004
Succeeded by
Preceded by U.S. Ambassador to France
2005–2009
Succeeded by
Preceded by
New office
U.S. Ambassador to Monaco
2006–2009
Succeeded by