Paul Bremer

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Paul Bremer

Lewis Paul Bremer III (Paul Bremer and "Jerry" among his friends) is an American author and politician. Paul Bremer was born on September 30, 1941. He was named Director of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance on May 6 for post-war Iraq in 2003. [1].

[edit] Biography

Jerry Bremer was born in Hartford, Connecticut and grew up in New Canaan, Connecticut. He attended Phillips Academy and graduated in 1959. After graduating, he attended Yale University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1963. He went on to earn a masters degree in business administration from Harvard University in 1966 and a Certificate of Political Studies (CEP) at the Paris Institute of Political Studies.

In 1967, he joined the United States foreign service. As a young foreign service officer, Bremer served a couple of years in Kabul, Afghanistan. Mr. Bremer was also assigned in Blantyre, Malawi as an Economic and Commercial Officer from 1968 to 1971. During Mr. Bremer's 23 years with the U.S. State Department, he served as a special assistant and as an executive assistant to six different secretaries of state. Paul Bremer was also executive secretary under former Secretary of State Alexander Haig. A secretary of state is the top government official in the U.S. State Department. A secretary of state is appointed by the United States president. Mr. Bremer was also Deputy Chief of Mission at an American embassy in the country of Norway. A deputy chief is a person in charge at the embassy.

In 1983, President Ronald Reagan appointed Paul Bremer the position of Ambassador to the Netherlands. Ambassador Bremer also became Ambassador at Large for Counter Terrorism.

In 1989 the ambassador retired. He spent the next 15 years working in the private sector. During that time, Paul Bremer was managing director of Kissinger Associates (a consulting firm or "think tank" headed by former Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger). Paul Bremer also served as a board member for several corporation. A board member is someone who makes big or strategic decisions on how a company should operate. Mr. Bremer has served on the board for corporations such as Air Products and Chemicals Incorporated, Akzo Nobel NV (a Dutch company), and Marsh Crisis Consulting Company.

In addition to his native English, Jerry Bremer speaks Arabic, French, Dutch, Norwegian, Persian, German, and Spanish.

He is married to the former Frances Winfield and has two adult children and two grandchildren. After Iraq, Bremer wrote a book. The title of the book is My Year in Iraq: The Struggle to Build a Future of Hope. The book was published in January, 2006.