Edward William Gnehm Jr. (born November 10, 1944), also known as Skip Gnehm, is an American diplomat who most recently served as the
U.S. ambassador
Ambassadors of the United States are persons nominated by the President of the United States, president to serve as the country's diplomat, diplomatic representatives to foreign nations, international organizations, and as Ambassador-at-large, ...
to
Jordan
Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...
. He is now a faculty member at
George Washington University
, mottoeng = "God is Our Trust"
, established =
, type = Private federally chartered research university
, academic_affiliations =
, endowment = $2.8 billion (2022)
, preside ...
's
Elliott School of International Affairs
The Elliott School of International Affairs (known as the Elliott School or ESIA) is the professional school of international relations, foreign policy, and international development of the George Washington University, in Washington, D.C. It i ...
.
Education
Gnehm attended
Albany High School and subsequently attended the
George Washington University
, mottoeng = "God is Our Trust"
, established =
, type = Private federally chartered research university
, academic_affiliations =
, endowment = $2.8 billion (2022)
, preside ...
in
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
, where he earned a bachelor's degree in International Affairs in 1966. Gnehm completed his master's degree in 1968, and spent one year of his graduate studies at the
American University in Cairo
The American University in Cairo (AUC; ar, الجامعة الأمريكية بالقاهرة, Al-Jāmi‘a al-’Amrīkiyya bi-l-Qāhira) is a private research university in Cairo, Egypt. The university offers American-style learning programs ...
under a post-graduate Rotary International Fellowship. He is a member of the
Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi () International Fraternity is one of the largest North American fraternal literary societies. The fraternity has 244 active (undergraduate) chapters and 152 alumni chapters across the United States and Canada and has initiated more tha ...
fraternity and
Delta Phi Epsilon Delta Phi Epsilon () may refer to:
*Delta Phi Epsilon (professional), the professional foreign service fraternity and sorority
*Delta Phi Epsilon (social)
Delta Phi Epsilon ( or DPhiE) is an international sorority founded on March 17, 1917 at Ne ...
(The National Professional Foreign Service Fraternity).
Government service
Gnehm joined the
U.S. Department of State
The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government responsible for the country's fore ...
in 1969 and has forged a long and distinguished diplomatic career in the
U.S. Foreign Service
The United States Foreign Service is the primary personnel system used by the diplomatic service of the United States federal government, under the aegis of the United States Department of State. It consists of over 13,000 professionals carryi ...
. His positions included: Director General of the Foreign Service and Director of Personnel for the Department of State; Deputy Permanent Representative of the United States to the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
; Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Near East and South Asian Affairs; Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Near East and South Asia; Deputy Chief of Mission, American Embassy,
Amman, Jordan
Amman (; ar, عَمَّان, ' ; Ammonite: 𐤓𐤁𐤕 𐤏𐤌𐤍 ''Rabat ʻAmān'') is the capital and largest city of Jordan, and the country's economic, political, and cultural center. With a population of 4,061,150 as of 2021, Amman is ...
, and Embassy
Sanaa, Yemen
Sanaa ( ar, صَنْعَاء, ' , Yemeni Arabic: ; Old South Arabian: 𐩮𐩬𐩲𐩥 ''Ṣnʿw''), also spelled Sana'a or Sana, is the capital and largest city in Yemen and the centre of Sanaa Governorate. The city is not part of the Governo ...
; head of the U.S. Liaison Office,
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Riyadh (, ar, الرياض, 'ar-Riyāḍ, lit.: 'The Gardens' Najdi pronunciation: ), formerly known as Hajr al-Yamamah, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the R ...
; and Deputy Principal Officer, U.S. Interests Section,
Damascus, Syria
)), is an adjective which means "spacious".
, motto =
, image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg
, image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg
, seal_type = Seal
, map_caption =
, ...
.
He was Ambassador to
Kuwait
Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...
from 1991 to 1994; Ambassador to
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
from 2000 to 2001; and Ambassador to
Jordan
Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...
from 2001 to 2004.
George Washington University
Throughout his career, Gnehm has remained active at George Washington, having served both on the Board of Trustees, and as the vice president of the George Washington Alumni Association. Gnehm won the 2015 Harry Harding Teaching Award "for sustained excellence in teaching and extraordinary contributions to the education of Elliott School students." Continuing in the family tradition, Gnehm's son Edward attended George Washington University where he received his BA and an MBA.
Awards
* 1990 – Presidential Meritorious Service Award for public service as
Assistant Secretary of Defense
Assistant Secretary of Defense is a title used for many high-level executive positions in the Office of the Secretary of Defense within the U.S. Department of Defense. The Assistant Secretary of Defense title is junior to Under Secretary of Defens ...
* 1991 – Presidential Meritorious Service Award for service as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
* 1992 – Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award, The George Washington University
* Secretary of Defense Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service – awarded by Secretary of Defense
Carlucci for service in the office of the Secretary of Defense
*Secretary of Defense Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service – awarded by Secretary of Defense
Perry
Perry, also known as pear cider, is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears, traditionally the perry pear. It has been common for centuries in England, particularly in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire. It is also made ...
for support to U.S. forces during and after
Desert Storm
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
.
Personal life
Gnehm is married to the former Margaret Scott of
Macon, Georgia
Macon ( ), officially Macon–Bibb County, is a consolidated city-county in the U.S. state of Georgia. Situated near the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is located southeast of Atlanta and lies near the geographic center of the state of Geo ...
; together they have two children, Cheryl and Edward III.
Affiliations
* Member of the board of directors of the
Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington
The Arab Gulf States Institute is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank dedicated to covering the "social, economic, and political diversity of the Arab countries in the Persian Gulf region." Ambassador Frank G. Wisner
Frank George Wisner II (bo ...
References
External links
Edward Gnehm profileprovided by The George Washington University
provided by The Camden Conference 2005
(June 19, 1990)
*
ttp://clinton6.nara.gov/2000/02/2000-02-10-president-names-gnehm-as-us-ambassador-to-australia.html President Clinton Names Edward William Gnehm, Jr. as U.S. Ambassador to Australia(February 10, 2000)
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gnehm, Edward
1944 births
Living people
Ambassadors of the United States to Kuwait
Ambassadors of the United States to Australia
Ambassadors of the United States to Jordan
People from Albany, Georgia
Elliott School of International Affairs faculty
Elliott School of International Affairs alumni
George Washington University faculty
People from Carrollton, Georgia
United States Foreign Service personnel
Directors General of the United States Foreign Service