Jump to content

John F. Tefft

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Novemberjazz (talk | contribs) at 01:42, 3 February 2021 (copyedits and structuring). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

John F. Tefft
8th United States Ambassador to Russia
In office
November 19, 2014 – September 28, 2017
PresidentBarack Obama
Donald Trump
Preceded byMichael McFaul
Succeeded byJon Huntsman Jr.
7th United States Ambassador to Ukraine
In office
December 7, 2009 – July 29, 2013
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byWilliam Taylor
Succeeded byGeoffrey Pyatt
United States Ambassador to Georgia
In office
August 23, 2005 – September 9, 2009
PresidentGeorge W. Bush
Barack Obama
Preceded byRichard Miles
Succeeded byJohn Bass
United States Ambassador to Lithuania
In office
August 30, 2000 – May 10, 2003
PresidentBill Clinton
George W. Bush
Preceded byKeith C. Smith
Succeeded byStephen Mull
Personal details
Born (1949-08-16) August 16, 1949 (age 75)
Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
SpouseMariella Cellitti Tefft
Children2
EducationMarquette University (BA)
Georgetown University (MA)

John F. Tefft (born August 16, 1949) is an American diplomat who has served as a Foreign Service Officer since 1972. He was confirmed as the United States Ambassador to Russia on July 31, 2014.[1] He has previously served as the United States' ambassador to Ukraine,[2] Georgia, and Lithuania, as well as chargé d'affaires of the Embassy of the United States in Moscow.

Early life and education

Tefft was born in Madison, Wisconsin. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marquette University and a Master of Arts in history from Georgetown University.[3]

Career

Tefft is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, with the personal rank of Minister-Counselor. He joined the United States Foreign Service in 1972 and has served in Jerusalem, Budapest, Rome, Moscow, Vilnius, Tbilisi, and Kyiv.[citation needed]

Until his appointment as ambassador to Georgia, he was the deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs since July 6, 2004. Tefft also served as International Affairs Advisor (Deputy Commandant) of the National War College in Washington, D.C. From 2000 to 2003, he was the United States Ambassador to Lithuania. He served as deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow from 1996 to 1999 (when Pickering was Ambassador), and was chargé d'affaires at the Embassy from November 1996 to September 1997.[citation needed] Tefft served as Director of the Office of Northern European Affairs from 1992 to 1994, Deputy Director of the Office of Soviet Union (later Russian and CIS) Affairs from 1989 to 1992, and Counselor for Political-Military Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Rome from 1986 to 1989. His other foreign assignments included Budapest and Jerusalem, as well as service on the U.S. delegation to the START I arms control negotiations in 1985.[citation needed]

Ambassador to Ukraine

On September 30, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Tefft as the ambassador to Ukraine[4] and he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on November 20, 2009.[5]

Tefft arrived in Ukraine on December 2, 2009[5] and President Viktor Yushchenko accepted Tefft's credentials of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary on December 7, 2009.[citation needed] The Ambassador expressed his hope for fruitful cooperation. Tefft delivered his speech in Ukrainian.[6]

On February 26, 2013, President Obama nominated Geoffrey R. Pyatt to succeed Tefft as Ambassador of the United States to Ukraine.[7] Pyatt was sworn in on July 30, 2013 and arrived in Ukraine on August 3, 2013.[2]

Ambassador to Russia

In July 2014, President Obama nominated Tefft as the United States Ambassador to Russia in Moscow, after receiving Russia's approval.[8] The Senate confirmed Tefft in a voice vote on July 31, 2014.[9] The confirmation followed several attempts as a number of ambassadorial appointments were being held up at the time. Strained relations with Russia over pro-separatist activity in eastern Ukraine, the country's annexation of Crimea, and the alleged shooting down of a commercial airliner, prompted senators to finally approve the nomination.[10] He presented his credentials to President Vladimir Putin on November 19, 2014[11] and left the position on September 28, 2017.[12]

In 2016, the Russian governor of the Samara Oblast, Nikolay Merkushkin, advised AvtoVAZagregat employees for help in paying wages and appeals to US Ambassador John Tefft.[13][14]

Awards

Tefft has received a number of awards, including the State Department Distinguished Honor Award in 1992 and the DCM of the Year Award for his service in Moscow in 1999. He received Presidential Meritorious Service Awards in 2001 and 2005.[citation needed]

Personal life

Tefft is married to Mariella Cellitti Tefft, a biostatistician and nurse. They have two daughters, Christine, a lawyer at the State Department and Cathleen, a program analyst at the National Endowment for the Humanities.

See also

References

  1. ^ Itkowitz, Colby. "Senate confirms nominee to be ambassador to Russia". www.washingtonpost.com. The Washington Post. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  2. ^ a b Yanukovych accepts credentials from new US ambassador, discusses with him Ukrainian-US relations, Interfax-Ukraine (August 15, 2013)
  3. ^ "Wisconsin native and savvy diplomat Tefft picked for Russia ambassador". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. July 10, 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  4. ^ Ex- US ambassador to Georgia John Tefft to lead diplomatic mission in Ukraine, Interfax-Ukraine (September 30, 2009)
  5. ^ a b New U.S. ambassador Tefft arrives in Kyiv, Interfax-Ukraine (December 2, 2009)
  6. ^ Yushchenko accepted credentials of US Ambassador and Ambassador of Turkey to Ukraine, UNIAN (December 7, 2009)
  7. ^ Office of the Press Secretary (February 26, 2013). "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts". The White House. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  8. ^ "Obama's new man in Moscow is former ambassador to Crimea". Moscow News.Net. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  9. ^ "SENATE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS". www.periodicalpress.senate.gov. June 28, 2018.
  10. ^ "John Tefft confirmed as new US ambassador to Russia". The US News. Retrieved August 2, 2014.
  11. ^ "Ambassador Tefft Presents Predentials to President Putin". Embassy of the United States, Moscow. Archived from the original on November 21, 2014. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  12. ^ "Американский посол Теффт улетел из Москвы до назначения преемника" (in Russian). Interfax. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
  13. ^ Samara Governor Merkushkin advised AvtoVAZ employees to ask the US ambassador for a salary
  14. ^ There was a record of threats by the governor Merkushkin to deprive AvtoVAZagregat salaries
Wikimedia Commons has media related to John F. Tefft.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by United States Ambassador to Lithuania
2000–2003 		Succeeded by
Preceded by United States Ambassador to Georgia
2005–2009 		Succeeded by
Preceded by United States Ambassador to Ukraine
2009–2013 		Succeeded by
Preceded by United States Ambassador to Russia
2014–2017 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_F._Tefft&oldid=1004529812"