Michael W. Michalak

Michael Walter Michalak (born 1946)[1][2] is the former United States Ambassador to Vietnam.[3] He currently serves as Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director for the US-ASEAN Business Council.

Michael W. Michalak
Office Portrait as State Department
United States Ambassador to Vietnam
In office August 10, 2007 – February 14, 2011
President	George W. Bush Barack Obama
Preceded by	Michael W. Marine
Succeeded by	Virginia E. Palmer
Personal details
Born	1946 (age 74-75) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Spouse(s)	Married
Education	Catholic University School of Engineering, Oakland University, Harvard Kennedy School, The Catholic University of America

Michael W. Michalak. Official State Department photo

Ambassador Michalak with Admiral Timothy Keating, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command

Career

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Mr. Michalak received a Bachelor of Science degree from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, and Master of Science degree in Physics from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He received a second master's degree in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.[3][4]

After joining the Foreign Service, Michalak has served in different posts and agencies, including: Commercial Officer at U.S. Consulate General in Sydney, Australia (1974-1977); Financial Economist, Economic Section, U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan (1977-1981); Economic Officer at Asia Bureau Regional Affairs Office (1981-1982) and Economic Officer at Japan Desk (1982-1986) in Washington D.C.; Chief of Bilateral Trade Unit at U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan (1986-1991); Deputy Chief of Economic Section at U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China (1991-1993); Deputy Director of Economics at the Office of China and Mongolian Affairs (1993-1996) and Deputy Coordinator at the Office of Eastern European Assistance (1996-1997) in Washington D.C., and as Senior Advisor at the National Center for APEC in Seattle, Washington (1997-2000).[5]

He was the U.S. Senior Official to APEC from November 2005 until his appointment as Ambassador to Vietnam. Prior to the APEC responsibility he served again at the U.S. Embassy Tokyo, as Minister-Counselor of the Economic Section (2000-2004) and Deputy Chief of Mission (2004-2005).[5] In February 2011 he assumed the position of Senior Advisor to the Private Sector Host Committee for APEC 2011.

Michalak has worked for the United States Department of State for over 30 years and is the recipient of a group award for valor for his actions in time of crisis when the U.S. Embassy Islamabad was burned down.[3]

References

1. https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/michalak-michael-w
2. https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/nominations/1101.html
3. "Biography of Michael W. Michalak". United States Department of State, U.S. Embassy, Hanoi. Archived from the original on 2011-05-01. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
4. United States Department of State: Biography of the ambassador
5. "The Perspectives on Asian Economic Cooperation, Occasional Paper No. 16" (PDF). Institute for International Monetary Affairs (IIMA); Tokyo American Center, US Embassy in Japan. 2006-01-25. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-10-13.

External links

Media related to Michael W. Michalak at Wikimedia Commons