Lyndon Lowell Olson Jr. (born March 7, 1947) is an American business executive and diplomat. He served as U.S Ambassador to Sweden between 1997 and 2001.

Business career

Olson had a long career in insurance industry. From 1979 to 1987, he was Chairman of the Texas State Board of Insurance and in 1982 served as president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. He worked for Citigroup between 1990-1998. He currently serves as chairman of public relations firm

Hill & Knowlton Hill+Knowlton Strategies is an American global public relations consulting company, headquartered in New York City, United States, with over 80 offices in more than 40 countries. The company was founded in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1927 by John W. Hil ...

in New York City.

Political and diplomatic career

Olson served as a member of the

Texas House of Representatives The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms. As of the 2010 United States census, each member represents abou ...

from 1973 until 1979. In 1997 Olson was nominated by

President Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and again ...

to be Ambassador to Sweden and went on to serve in this capacity until 2001. Mr. Olson served as a negotiator on the U.S. Israeli Free Trade Agreement.

Awards

In 2002, King

Carl XVI Gustaf Carl XVI Gustaf (Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus; born 30 April 1946) is King of Sweden. He ascended the throne on the death of his grandfather, Gustaf VI Adolf, on 15 September 1973. He is the youngest child and only son of Prince Gustaf Adolf, Du ...

of Sweden presented him with the Swedish-American of the Year Award. He was also awarded the

Ellis Island Medal of Honor The Ellis Island Medal of Honor is an American award founded by the Ellis Island Honors Society (EIHS) (formerly known as the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO)), which is presented annually to American citizens, both native-born a ...

in 2001. The recipient of an honorary doctorate from Sweden's

Umeå University Umeå University ( sv, Umeå universitet; Ume Sami: ) is a public research university located in Umeå, in the mid-northern region of Sweden. The university was founded in 1965 and is the fifth oldest within Sweden's present borders. As of 2015 ...

, Olson has served as the chairman and is a member of the board of directors of the Swedish American Chamber of Commerce and is a Trustee of the American Scandinavian Foundation, both in New York City. In 2007 Olson was presented the Order of the Polar Star by the King and Queen of Sweden. Olson has served as a Commissioner and Vice Chairman of the

United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy The United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy (ACPD), created in 1948, is tasked by Congress with "appraising U.S. Government activities intended to understand, inform, and influence foreign publics and to increase the understanding of ...

having been appointed by President George W. Bush. Olson is a recipient of the Gates of Jerusalem Award from the State of Israel and serves on the board of the Jerusalem Foundation. In 1999, he received Baylor University's Distinguished Alumni Award and in 2002 its Price Daniel Distinguished Public Service Award. Born in 1947, Mr. Olson is an active member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Council of American Ambassadors.

Education

Olson is a graduate of Baylor University and attended Baylor Law School.

Personal life

He is a member and Elder of the First Presbyterian Church in Waco, Texas.

References

Composition of Texas House of Representatives
{{DEFAULTSORT:Olson, Lyndon Lowell 1947 births Living people Ambassadors of the United States to Sweden Members of the Texas House of Representatives American people of Swedish descent