Ronald Gidwitz

Ronald J. Gidwitz (born March 28, 1945) is an American businessman, diplomat, and political candidate who served as United States Ambassador to Belgium, while also serving as acting United States Ambassador to the European Union.[3][4]

Ronald Gidwitz
Acting United States Ambassador to the European Union
In office May 4, 2020 – January 20, 2021
President	Donald Trump
Preceded by	Gordon Sondland
Succeeded by	position vacant
United States Ambassador to Belgium
In office July 4, 2018 – January 20, 2021
President	Donald Trump
Preceded by	Denise Bauer
Succeeded by	Nicholas Berliner (acting)
Chairman of the Illinois State Board of Education
In office April 1999 – April 18, 2003
Governor	George Ryan Rod Blagojevich
Succeeded by	Janet Steiner (interim)[1][2]
Personal details
Born	March 28, 1945
Political party	Republican
Children	2
Father	Gerald Gidwitz
Education	Brown University (BA)

Education

Gidwitz earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Brown University.

Career

Business

Gidwitz served as President and CEO of Helene Curtis Industries, which was sold to Unilever in 1996.[5] He served as its CEO from 1979 through 1998.[6] Since 1998, he has been a co-founder and partner at the private equity firm, GCG Partners, and serves as a regional chairman for Business Executives for National Security in Chicago. Since 2013, Gidwitz has served as Chairman emeritus of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.[7]

Throughout his business career, Gidwitz devoted a portion of his time to philanthropic activities. He was Chair of the Field Museum of Natural History Board of Trustees, and the Economic Development Commission of Chicago. Gidwitz also served on the boards of the Council for Aid to Education, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center, National Board of the Smithsonian Institution, the Museum of Science and Industry, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and the founding Chair of the Chicago Chapter of Business Executives for National Security. In 2006, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America bestowed him with the Herbert Hoover Humanitarian Award for his ‘extraordinary service to the organization and the nation’s youth.’ In 2014, the Chicago History Museum gave him the Bertha Honoré Palmer Making History Award for Distinction in Civic Leadership.[8] His leadership in promoting better educational opportunities resulted in Gidwitz receiving the National Association of State Boards of Education's Distinguished Service Award in 2003.[9]

For many years, a company controlled by Gidwitz and his brother Ralph owned the Evergreen Terrace housing project in Joliet, Illinois, a 356-unit complex of high-rise apartments where 90% of tenants were families with young African-American single mothers. Their management of the complex attracted strong criticism, including from then-Senator Barack Obama. There were descriptions made of “inhumane conditions” and an overwhelming stench of urine in the complex. The mayor of Joliet described the complex as “unsafe and dangerous, a public nuisance and a blighted area”. A judge declared that the standards were “deplorable”. Gidwitz, in court, blamed the City of Joliet, claiming that they had repeatedly blocked attempts to secure federal financing for improvements.[10] He especially noted his frustration in being turned down by the city in his effort to improve security—one of the main issues the same city had questioned.[11]

Politics

Gidwtiz (left) speaks to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in July 2018

Gidwitz was appointed to Chairman of the Board of City Colleges of Chicago by mayor Richard M. Daley in 1991.[12] His tenure ended when he resigned on April 14, 1999 amid a power struggle with the new chancellor Wayne Watson.[13] Gidwitz's tenure was highly criticized by faculty in the system.[12] Between 1991 and 1995, the system lost $50 million in high-risk investments.[12]

Gidwitz was appointed a member of the Illinois State Board of Education in 1999.[14] Gidwitz became Chairman of the Illinois State Board of Education in April 1999, having been nominated by Governor George Ryan.[13][15] Having again been nominated by Governor George Ryan, Gidwitz was reconfirmed by the Illinois Senate on November 14, 2001 to continue to serve as Chairman of the Illinois State Board of Education.[16] His term expired on April 18, 2003.[16][17] He continued to serve as a member of the board until the following year.[14]

In February 2003, he founded the advocacy group Students First Illinois.[18]

Gidwitz was a candidate for the Republican nomination for Governor of Illinois in the 2006 election.[19] He came in fourth place, having been defeated by Judy Baar Topinka.[20] Rod Blagojevich would go on to win the general election. Gidwitz spent $5 million of his own funds on the campaign.[21]

In 2008, Gidwitz and Greg Baise formed the Economic Freedom Alliance, a 527 organization, to oppose the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act.[22]

Gidwitz was the Illinois co-chair of Rudy Giuliani's 2008 presidential campaign.[18] Gidwitz served as finance chair for Bruce Rauner's successful 2014 bid for governor, later serving as Donald Trump's Illinois campaign finance chairman in the 2016 presidential election.

In May 2018, he was nominated to become the Trump administration's Ambassador to Belgium. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on June 28, 2018.[23] He presented his credentials to King Philippe on July 4, 2018.[3]

Personal life

Gidwitz is the son of prominent Chicago businessman, Gerald Gidwitz.

He lives in Chicago with his wife, Christina Gidwitz (née Kemper), and two sons.

His wife Christina's father was the late James S. Kemper.[24]

References

1. "IASB School Board News Bulletin: May, 2003". archives.iasb.com. Illinois Association of School Boards. May 2003. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
2. "EAST ST. LOUIS BOARD OF EDUCATION AND ISBE JOIN TOGETHER". Illinois State Board of Education. 9 June 2004. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
3. U.S. Embassy in Belgium. "U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium Ronald J. Gidwitz". Retrieved July 7, 2018.
4. Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State, Designation of Ambassador Ronald J. Gidwitz as Acting Representative of the United States to the European Union, press statement of the U.S. Department of State, May 4, 2020.
5. Chicago Tribune. "Trump nominates his Illinois campaign finance chair as ambassador to Belgium". Retrieved May 22, 2018.
6. Timothy J., Gilfoyle (Winter 2018). "Chicago's Global Entrepreneurs: Making History Interviews with John Canning and Ronald Gidwitz". Loyola University Chicago. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
7. Bloomberg. "Ronald "Ron" Gidwitz". Retrieved May 22, 2018.
8. Gidwitz, Ron (January 20, 2018). "Loyola University eCommons Chicago Global Entrepenuers". Loyola University eCommons.
9. Gidwitz, Ron (October 17, 2003). "Distinguished Service Award for Ron Gidwitz". Illinois State Board of Education.
10. Boffey, Daniel; Swaine, Jon (22 May 2018). "Trump backer who owned 'inhumane' housing picked to be Belgium envoy". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
11. Gidwitz, Ron (May 2, 2017). "Chicago Tribune". Chicago Tribune.
12. Joravsky, Ben (27 July 1995). "Grading Gidwitz: City Colleges faculty gives him an F". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
13. Washburn, Gary; Martinez, Michael (15 April 1999). "GIDWITZ QUITS CITY COLLEGES BOARD". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
14. Cates, Kristen (25 January 2005). "RON GIDWITZ ANNOUNCES PLANS TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR". The Southern. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
15. "STATEMENT OF ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION CHAIRMAN RONALD J. GIDWITZ". Illinois State Board of Education. 18 April 2003. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
16. "STATE OF ILLINOIS 92ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT" (PDF). Illinois General Assembly. 14 November 2001. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
17. Gidwitz, Ronald J. "STATEMENT OF ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION CHAIRMAN RONALD J. GIDWITZ". Illinois State Board of Education. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
18. "Rudy Giuliani-Illinois Organization". p2008.org. 27 December 2007. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
19. OurCampaigns.com. "Gidwitz, Ronald". Retrieved May 22, 2018.
20. Illinois State Board of Election. "Election Results". Retrieved May 22, 2018.
21. Chicago Sun Times. "Trump nominates Chicago businessman Ron Gidwitz as ambassador to Belgium". Retrieved May 22, 2018.
22. "Greg Baise - City Club of Chicago". www.cityclub-chicago.org. City Club of Chicago. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
23. U.S. Congress. "PN2027 — Ronald Gidwitz — Department of State". Retrieved July 7, 2018.
24. Spirou, Costas; Judd, Dennis R. (2016). Building the City of Spectacle: Mayor Richard M. Daley and the Remaking of Chicago. Cornell University Press. p. 128. ISBN 978-1-5017-0683-7. Retrieved 5 June 2020.

External links

Media related to Ronald J. Gidwitz at Wikimedia Commons