David Wilkins
Encyclopedia
David Horton Wilkins (born October 12, 1946) is an American
attorney and a former U. S. Ambassador
to Canada
during the administration of President George W. Bush
. Prior to the appointment, he practiced law for 30 years while serving in the South Carolina House of Representatives
for 25 of those years. He was speaker of the South Carolina House for 11 years. Wilkins presently chairs the public policy and international law practice department of a large South Carolina law firm.
, Wilkins graduated from Greenville
High School, attended Clemson University
on a tennis
scholarship
, and graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree
in 1968. He earned his law
degree from the University of South Carolina
and then served in the Army
as a first lieutenant. In the early 1970s, he returned to Greenville, where he and his wife, Susan, raised their two sons.
In his 25 years in the state legislature, Wilkins played a role in major reform legislation including South Carolina’s historic ethics bill and the Education Accountability Act. Wilkins was also a central figure in the relocation of the Confederate battle flag from atop the State Capitol Building to its present location behind the Confederate Memorial. Under his watch, the state adopted the Martin Luther King holiday. As speaker, Wilkins also played a role in banning video gambling
from South Carolina and in delaying the establishment of the South Carolina Education Lottery
. During the economic recession of the 1990s, Wilkins successfully fought tax increases, and as a result, South Carolina was one of only a handful of states that did not raise its taxes.
Throughout his legislative career, Wilkins received numerous awards including the prestigious 2004 Excellence in State Legislative Leadership Award from the National Conference of State Legislatures which cited his steadfast position for relocating the Confederate flag and his refusal to cancel a national conference in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Wilkins was also named Outstanding Legislator of the Year by a wide range of organizations, and he served as President of the National Speakers' Association and as chair of the Southern Legislative Conference.
and co-chair of the campaign in 2000. He was appointed by President George W. Bush to the Board of Visitors to the United States Military Academy
at West Point in 2002. He was nominated by President Bush for the post of U.S. Ambassador to Canada on April 27, 2005, and the Senate confirmed him by voice vote on May 26, 2005. Wilkins formally presented his credentials to the Governor General of Canada
Adrienne Clarkson
on June 29, 2005.
Before his appointment, Wilkins had only been to Canada once, when he was in the U.S. Army Reserve three decades prior. However, by the time he been on the job for nine months, he had traveled to every province and territory in Canada.
In his first 20 months as ambassador, the top irritant between the nations – softwood lumber – was resolved, with the support of most of the Canadian lumber industry. In addition to the softwood lumber dispute, Wilkins addressed a number of other issues including the Northwest Passage
, Rendition
, the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) and Canada’s role in Afghanistan
.
Wilkins resigned his post in early 2009, at the end of President Bush’s second term.
's board of visitors, was awarded an honorary doctorate of humanities from Clemson in 2003, and has earned the Alumni Association's Distinguished Service Award. He was elected by the University to a lifetime seat on its 13 member board of trustees on March 28, 2007. On July 17, 2009, he was unanimously elected to a two year term as chair.
in 2010. However in August 2008, he announced that he would not seek the post.
In February, 2009, Wilkins became a partner at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
LLP and chairs the Public Policy and International Law practice group, which focuses primarily on representing businesses on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border and offers experience on a range of strategic bilateral issues.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
attorney and a former U. S. Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
during the administration of President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. Prior to the appointment, he practiced law for 30 years while serving in the South Carolina House of Representatives
South Carolina House of Representatives
The South Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Carolina General Assembly, the upper house being the South Carolina Senate. It consists of 124 Representatives elected to two year terms at the same time as US Congressional elections...
for 25 of those years. He was speaker of the South Carolina House for 11 years. Wilkins presently chairs the public policy and international law practice department of a large South Carolina law firm.
Family life and education
A life-long resident of South CarolinaSouth Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, Wilkins graduated from Greenville
Greenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
High School, attended Clemson University
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
on a tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
, and graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in 1968. He earned his law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
degree from the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
and then served in the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
as a first lieutenant. In the early 1970s, he returned to Greenville, where he and his wife, Susan, raised their two sons.
State legislature
Wilkins, a Republican, was first elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1980. He quickly rose through the ranks of the Democratically-controlled House, serving six years as chairman of the Judiciary Committee and two years as speaker pro tem before being elected speaker, a position he held for 11 years. He was the first Republican to elected speaker of any legislative body in the South since Reconstruction and when he retired on June 2, 2005, he was the third longest serving speaker in South Carolina history.In his 25 years in the state legislature, Wilkins played a role in major reform legislation including South Carolina’s historic ethics bill and the Education Accountability Act. Wilkins was also a central figure in the relocation of the Confederate battle flag from atop the State Capitol Building to its present location behind the Confederate Memorial. Under his watch, the state adopted the Martin Luther King holiday. As speaker, Wilkins also played a role in banning video gambling
Video Lottery Terminal
A Video Lottery Terminal or VLT is a gaming machine that allows gamblers to bet on the outcome of a video game.A VLT is similar to a slot machine, in that each terminal is a stand-alone device containing a random-number generator...
from South Carolina and in delaying the establishment of the South Carolina Education Lottery
South Carolina Education Lottery
The South Carolina Education Lottery began in 2002.South Carolina is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association , best known for Powerball...
. During the economic recession of the 1990s, Wilkins successfully fought tax increases, and as a result, South Carolina was one of only a handful of states that did not raise its taxes.
Throughout his legislative career, Wilkins received numerous awards including the prestigious 2004 Excellence in State Legislative Leadership Award from the National Conference of State Legislatures which cited his steadfast position for relocating the Confederate flag and his refusal to cancel a national conference in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Wilkins was also named Outstanding Legislator of the Year by a wide range of organizations, and he served as President of the National Speakers' Association and as chair of the Southern Legislative Conference.
Political activities and appointment as Ambassador to Canada
Wilkins was state chair of the Bush–Cheney '04 campaignGeorge W. Bush presidential campaign, 2004
This article is about the presidential campaign of George W. Bush, the former President of the United States and winner of the 2004 Presidential Election. See George W. Bush for a detailed biography and information about his full presidency, and George W. Bush presidential campaign, 2000 for a...
and co-chair of the campaign in 2000. He was appointed by President George W. Bush to the Board of Visitors to the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
at West Point in 2002. He was nominated by President Bush for the post of U.S. Ambassador to Canada on April 27, 2005, and the Senate confirmed him by voice vote on May 26, 2005. Wilkins formally presented his credentials to the Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
Adrienne Clarkson
Adrienne Clarkson
Adrienne Louise Clarkson is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 26th since Canadian Confederation....
on June 29, 2005.
Tenure as Ambassador
Upon his arrival in Canada, Wilkins pledged his commitment to "strengthening the ties that bind our two great nations." In an April 2008 interview, Wilkins reiterated that sentiment stating, “we have the largest trading relationship the world's ever known, and I think the best relationship. To just remind ourselves on both sides of the border how important we are to each other and keep trying to make it stronger -- that's certainly my goal.”Before his appointment, Wilkins had only been to Canada once, when he was in the U.S. Army Reserve three decades prior. However, by the time he been on the job for nine months, he had traveled to every province and territory in Canada.
In his first 20 months as ambassador, the top irritant between the nations – softwood lumber – was resolved, with the support of most of the Canadian lumber industry. In addition to the softwood lumber dispute, Wilkins addressed a number of other issues including the Northwest Passage
Northwest Passage
The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...
, Rendition
Rendition
Rendition may refer to:*Rendition , a legal term meaning "handing over"*Extraordinary rendition by the United States, the abduction and illegal transfer of a person from one nation to another*"Rendition" , an episode of Torchwood...
, the North American Free Trade Agreement
North American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement...
(NAFTA) and Canada’s role in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
.
Wilkins resigned his post in early 2009, at the end of President Bush’s second term.
Clemson University activities
Wilkins has served on Clemson UniversityClemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
's board of visitors, was awarded an honorary doctorate of humanities from Clemson in 2003, and has earned the Alumni Association's Distinguished Service Award. He was elected by the University to a lifetime seat on its 13 member board of trustees on March 28, 2007. On July 17, 2009, he was unanimously elected to a two year term as chair.
Post government career
Wilkins was frequently named as a potential candidate for governor of South CarolinaGovernor of South Carolina
The Governor of the State of South Carolina is the head of state for the State of South Carolina. Under the South Carolina Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the South Carolina executive branch. The Governor is the ex officio...
in 2010. However in August 2008, he announced that he would not seek the post.
In February, 2009, Wilkins became a partner at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP is a large U.S. law firm and lobby group based in Columbia, South Carolina. In 2007, the National Law Journal ranked the firm the largest in South Carolina and 123rd largest in the United States...
LLP and chairs the Public Policy and International Law practice group, which focuses primarily on representing businesses on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border and offers experience on a range of strategic bilateral issues.
External links
- Clemson News Release 2007
- Biography from South Carolina House of Representatives
- CBC Canada News Background
- U.S. ambassador to Canada named
- CBC News David Wilkins: America's next ambassador to Canada
- presentation of Letters of Credence to the Governor General of Canada
- David Wilkins Interview
- Interview from Calgary Herald
- National Post story
- Interview with David Wilkins (includes audio)