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Mel Sembler

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Melvin Floyd Sembler (1930 - ) is the former US Ambassador to Italy (2001 - 2005), and former ambassador to Australia and Nauru (1989-1993). Chairman of the Board of The Sembler Company, one of the nation's leading shopping center developers and managers, he is a long-time supporter of the Republican Party and its candidates and a founder of adolescent drug-treatment centers relating to his anti-drug campaign activism. Currently, he serves as chairman of the Libby Legal Defense Trust.[1]

Personal history

Born in 1930 in St. Joseph, Missouri, Sembler is a 1952 graduate of Northwestern University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. He and his wife Betty have three sons, Steve, Brent, and Greg, and are the grandparents of eleven grandchildren.

Career as a developer

Sembler is recognized for building The Sembler Company into one of the country's most recognized shopping center development and management firms. The Sembler Company is identified as an innovative leader in the industry and Sembler-built centers are known for their creative design and environmental integrity. [source?]

Sembler served as the international leader and spokesman for the shopping career industry as 1986-1987 President of the International Council of Shopping Center, a position that capped 25 years of active service to this worldwide trade association.

Financial career

Due to Mr. Sembler's life-long professional experience in complex finance and loan transactions and arrangements, he was asked to serve on the Board of Directors of the First Bank of Treasure Island, The National Bank, First Union Bank, and presently serves on the Board of Directors of American Momentum Bank. Collectively, Sembler served on the boards of those banks in excess of 14 years.

Political fund-raising career

During the 1988 Presidential campaign, Sembler served on the National Steering Committee and the National Finance Committee for the George Bush for President campaign. Additionally, he was Finance Co-Chairman for the state of Florida for the George Bush for President campaign. He served on President Reagan's White House Conference for a Drug-Free America and was an advisor on drug policy to President Bush and to Florida's former Governor Bob Martinez.

A supporter of George H. W. Bush since 1979, Sembler capped nearly 10 years of campaigning on November 8, 1988, when Bush won the bid for the presidency. He played an instrumental part in raising funds for the Fund for America's Future and George Bush for President campaign. He served as Co-chairman of the Republican National Committee's Team 100 and Finance Co-Chairman of The American Bicentennial Presidential Inaugural, raising the dollars needed for Bush's inauguration. Sembler also served as Finance Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida from 1993 to 1995.

Sembler served as Finance Chairman for the Republican National Committee from 1997 to 2000. He also served as Florida's National Committeeman to the Republican National Committee from his election in 1994 until 2000. Prior to his appointment as Ambassador to Italy, Sembler was the Honorary Chairman of the Republican Jewish Coalition and Chairman of the Drug Free America Foundation, and served on the boards of the Florida Governor's Mansion Foundation and the Florida Holocaust Museum. He is a resident member of the Florida Council of 100, a business advisory council to the Governor of Florida, and has been an active supporter of many other political, religious, and community activities. Sembler presently serves on the boards of the International Council of Shopping Centers, American Enterprise Institute, American-Australian Education Leadership Foundation, George Bush Presidential Library Foundation, Republican Jewish Coalition, and the Moffitt Cancer Center.

Sembler raised a record $21.3m at a single dinner in April 2000.

Diplomatic career

In February 1989, President George H.W. Bush appointed Sembler United States Ambassador to Australia and Nauru, where he served for three and a half years. During his tenure as Ambassador, Sembler took a particular interest in encouraging the export to Australia of U.S. goods and services. At the recommendation of the Governor-General of Australia and with the approval of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, Sembler was named an Honorary Officer in the Order of Australia at an investiture ceremony in October 2000. The Order of Australia is an Australian society of honor for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service of the highest degree to Australia or humanity at large.

Sembler was appointed U.S. Ambassador to Italy by President George W. Bush, being sworn in on 16 November 2001. In February 2005 the United States Congress had an annex to the US Embassy in Rome named after him (the Mel Sembler Building) - an unheard of honor for a sitting diplomat. The naming was due to an amendment by Rep. Bill Young to an appropriations bill.

STRAIGHT

In 1976, Sembler and his wife co-founded Straight, Incorporated, an adolescent drug treatment program from which more than 12,000 young people graduated before the program closed in 1993. Sembler's Drug Free America Foundation continues to campaign for against the legalization of illicit drugs.

Notes

  1. ^ Mel Sembler and the Advisory Committee, "Message from the Chairman", March 6, 2007, accessed 7 March, 2007.
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