Gaddi Vasquez
Encyclopedia
Gaddi Holguin Vasquez was the 8th United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture
, in Rome
, Italy
. He was nominated by President
George W. Bush
and unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate
on June 29, 2006. Vasquez was sworn into office on September 7, 2006, by U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice
, and served in the position until 2009. Prior to that, he was the first person of Hispanic ancestry to head the Peace Corps
.
, Texas
, Vasquez is a Mexican American
and the son of migrant workers. Vasquez grew up in poverty. He kept a photo of him and his father on his desk at the Peace Corps. "I have this here as a reminder every day," said Vasquez. "I lived in Third World conditions without having to go overseas." Vasquez's family lived in a trailer in Watsonville, California
and worked as migrant workers until Vasquez went to first grade. "I remember that when I was very young, people who were homeless - they were called hobos then - would come up and bang on the door and literally ask for a meal. My mother would tell them to wait on the porch or wait outside and she |would cook them a burrito, notwithstanding our own limitations. I watched this over and over again," he said, so much so that it became known, "If you needed a meal, go down to the Vasquez house." The family moved to Orange County, California
where his father went to work in a furniture factory in Los Angeles and eventually to the Apostolic Church in Orange, where he is pastor. Vasquez went to school in Orange, to Santa Ana College
and then on to the University of Redlands
. "I was the first one to graduate college," Vasquez said.
Southern California Edison VP, Public Affairs, Sacramento
, California
. He later worked as deputy appointments secretary for Governor
George Deukmejian
, followed by service as Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors
. Vasquez resigned this position in 1994 after the county's bankruptcy. The Orange County bankruptcy changed the course of his political ambitions, eventually leading Vasquez to reach out to his Republican colleagues for help in re-creating his career.
In 1988 Vasquez addressed the Republican national convention and said that Hispanics shouldn't support Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis for President just because Dukakis spoke Spanish. The Democratic nominee spoke Spanish, Vasquez said, but because of his liberal policies, "he doesn't speak our language."
under George W. Bush
, Vasquez had donated $100,000 to Bush's campaign and was criticized by former Volunteers for lacking experience with, or previous membership in, Peace Corps. The Los Angeles Times
, Boston Globe, Washington Post and New York Times editorialized against Vasquez's nomination and returned Peace Corps volunteers signed a petition opposing his nomination. However Vasquez cleared the United States Senate
Foreign Relations committee by a vote of 14-4, and was accepted in the full Senate on a voice vote.
that bars the use of federal resources—including office buildings, phones and computers—for partisan purposes. On July 25, 2007 in Senate subcommittee hearings chaired by Senator Chris Dodd, Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter
disclosed that approximately fifteen Peace Corps officials including then Director Gaddi Vasquez attended one of the political briefings at Peace Corps Headquarters. In testimony before the committee, Tschetter said that he did not condone the meetings and that in his opinion they should not have happened. Dodd concluded by saying that "The reputation of this institution suffers when that happens. We have a reputation and we have a good one over the years and to have it soiled because people want to turn it into a political operation is something that I am not going to tolerate at all and I will call for heads if there are still people there involved in this. They should know better than this, to engage in that kind of activity."
Vasquez completed his term as Peace Corps Director September 7, 2006, just over two months after he was confirmed as the new United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture
in Rome
, Italy
. "The first day I went to work at the U.N., I was led into the governing council's meeting room for my first meeting," said Vasquez. "You see the nameplates around the table – France. U.K. Italy. United States of America. That's one of those moments you stop in your tracks and reflect on where you've been and what you're doing," Vasquez said. "I am fortunate, and blessed."
To publicize work done by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Fund for Agricultural Development
, and the World Food Programme
to help reduce poverty and make agriculture more productive, Ambassador Vasquez accompanied journalists on media tours to Mali in December, 2006 and to Guatemala and Honduras in May, 2007. His trips aim to increase visibility for the anti-hunger efforts of the United States and the international community around the world.
Vasquez has also spoken out on hunger to groups in the United States. In an address to the Orange Rotarians in Orange County, California on January 24, 2008, Vasquez talked about the $1 billion that the United States spends on food aid every year and how part of Vasquez's job is to make sure that money is spent as wisely as possible. "Over 840 million people suffer from chronic malnutrition," Vasquez said. "My hope is to raise your awareness. Consider how you can contribute to this effort."
The Daily Titan reported on April 21, 2008 that Vasquez had been the keynote speaker at the 'Connecting Worlds" conference at California State Fullerton speaking to about 250 conference members about global hunger. Vasquez said his life had been transformed while Director of the Peace Corps by the things he had witnessed traveling all over the world and recounted that once while in the Caribbean he had encountered a boy to whom he gave a piece of candy. The boy broke the candy in three, ate one piece and sold the other two. "This is the desperation some parts of the world are reaching," Vasquez said.
In October 2008, Vasquez visited Colombia accompanied by seven Latin American journalists. Vasquez visited a small sausage factory built with support from USAID that now employs 12 people and is providing food to the community. "It's a small thing but very significant, because it is sustainable entrepreneurship and is providing jobs," Vasquez said.
United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture
The United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture is the head of the United States Mission to the UN Agencies in Rome and thus is the United States ambassador to the three United Nations agencies for food and agriculture located in Rome, Italy: the Food and...
, in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He was nominated by President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
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....
and unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on June 29, 2006. Vasquez was sworn into office on September 7, 2006, by U.S. Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
, and served in the position until 2009. Prior to that, he was the first person of Hispanic ancestry to head the Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
.
Early life and education
Born in Carrizo SpringsCarrizo Springs, Texas
Carrizo Springs is a city in and the county seat of Dimmit County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,655 at the 2000 census.The name of the town comes from the local springs, which were named by the Spanish for the cane grass that once grew around them. It is the oldest town in Dimmit...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Vasquez is a Mexican American
Mexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
and the son of migrant workers. Vasquez grew up in poverty. He kept a photo of him and his father on his desk at the Peace Corps. "I have this here as a reminder every day," said Vasquez. "I lived in Third World conditions without having to go overseas." Vasquez's family lived in a trailer in Watsonville, California
Watsonville, California
Watsonville is a city in Santa Cruz County, California, United States. The population was 51,199 according to the 2010 census.Located on the central coast of California, the economy centers predominantly around the farming industry. It is known for growing strawberries, apples, lettuce and a host...
and worked as migrant workers until Vasquez went to first grade. "I remember that when I was very young, people who were homeless - they were called hobos then - would come up and bang on the door and literally ask for a meal. My mother would tell them to wait on the porch or wait outside and she |would cook them a burrito, notwithstanding our own limitations. I watched this over and over again," he said, so much so that it became known, "If you needed a meal, go down to the Vasquez house." The family moved to Orange County, California
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
where his father went to work in a furniture factory in Los Angeles and eventually to the Apostolic Church in Orange, where he is pastor. Vasquez went to school in Orange, to Santa Ana College
Santa Ana College
Santa Ana College is a community college located in Santa Ana, California, USA.-History:In 1915, Santa Ana Junior College opened its doors to 25 students as a department of Santa Ana High School. It was the second community college founded in Orange County, behind Fullerton College, and the fourth...
and then on to the University of Redlands
University of Redlands
The University of Redlands is a private liberal arts and sciences university located in Redlands, California. The university's campus sits on near downtown Redlands. The university was founded in 1907 and was associated with the American Baptist Church. The land for the university was donated by...
. "I was the first one to graduate college," Vasquez said.
Southern California Edison VP, Public Affairs, Sacramento
Orange County official
Vasquez worked in the public sector for 22 years before his Peace Corps nomination, starting as a police officer for the city of OrangeOrange, California
Southern California is well-known for year-round pleasant weather: - On average, the warmest month is August. - The highest recorded temperature was in 1985. - On average, the coolest month is December. - The lowest recorded temperature was in 1950...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He later worked as deputy appointments secretary for Governor
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
George Deukmejian
George Deukmejian
Courken George Deukmejian, Jr. born June 6, 1928) is an Armenian American politician from California who as a Republican served as the 35th Governor of California and as California Attorney General .-Early life:...
, followed by service as Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors
Orange County Board of Supervisors
The Orange County Board of Supervisors is the five-member governing body of Orange County, California.-Membership:The Board consists of five Supervisors elected by districts to four-year terms by the citizens of Orange County...
. Vasquez resigned this position in 1994 after the county's bankruptcy. The Orange County bankruptcy changed the course of his political ambitions, eventually leading Vasquez to reach out to his Republican colleagues for help in re-creating his career.
In 1988 Vasquez addressed the Republican national convention and said that Hispanics shouldn't support Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis for President just because Dukakis spoke Spanish. The Democratic nominee spoke Spanish, Vasquez said, but because of his liberal policies, "he doesn't speak our language."
Peace Corps Director
Controversy over appointment as Director
Appointed as Director of Peace CorpsPeace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
under 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....
, Vasquez had donated $100,000 to Bush's campaign and was criticized by former Volunteers for lacking experience with, or previous membership in, Peace Corps. The Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, Boston Globe, Washington Post and New York Times editorialized against Vasquez's nomination and returned Peace Corps volunteers signed a petition opposing his nomination. However Vasquez cleared the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Foreign Relations committee by a vote of 14-4, and was accepted in the full Senate on a voice vote.
Accomplishments as Director
Vasquez's major initiatives and accomplishments as Peace Corps Director include: an agreement with Mexico in 2003 to host volunteers, emphasis on recruitment of minorities and of community college graduates, upgrading Peace Corps' infrastructure, especially IT upgrades in the online application tracking process, the Volunteer Delivery System, an emphasis on safety and security of volunteers (including the creation of a Situation Room at Peace Corps Headquarters), modifying Peace Corps' "Five Year Rule" for employment, and the expansion of the Peace Corps to one of its highest levels in 30 years. Vasquez visited 60 countries during his tenure as Director, meeting with volunteers in the field to advance the agency’s mission and goals of promoting world peace and friendship.Minority recruitment
Vasquez placed a high priority on recruitment of minorities. During his confirmation hearings Vasquez said "We all recognize that the face of America looks vastly different today than 40 years ago - or even 10 years ago. In step with those changes, I consider it a high priority to expand the diversity of the Peace Corps so that it becomes a true reflection of America. Diversity of ethnic backgrounds, life experiences and beliefs has strengthened our country in countless ways. And in doing so we achieve an opportunity to engage a broader segment of the American population in one of our nation's greatest programs." Vasquez had a personal experience when he was visiting Morocco as Peace Corps Director that brought home to him the importance of his diversity initiatives. A young man stopped Vasquez and said, "You don't look like an American." And Vasquez answered, "What do you mean, I don't look like an American? Why do you say I don't look like an American?" He said, "The color of your skin. You don't look like an American." And I said, "Well, my grandparents came from Mexico to the United States, pursuing dreams and opportunities." By the end of Vasquez's tenure, 16 percent of the 7,810 volunteers were minorities — the highest percentage since the agency began collecting data on volunteer diversity.National Call to Service program
Portions of the sometimes controversial expansion were successfully challenged by the Returned Peace Corps Volunteer community when former volunteers and the National Peace Corps Association raised objections to the continued inclusion of Peace Corps in the National Call to Service program, which had been used to allow military service members with at least three years and three months of military service completed, to finish their service obligation in the Peace Corps. Vasquez argued unsuccessfully for continued inclusion of the Peace Corps in that program, and the Peace Corps was removed from the National Call to Service program on December 22, 2005, when the United States Senate completed congressional action on the Department of Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006.Political briefings at Peace Corps Headquarters
On July 24, 2007 the Washington Post reported that during the tenure of Gaddi Vasquez as Peace Corps Director a "general political briefing" occurred at the Peace Corps headquarters after the 2002 midterm elections. Senator Joseph Biden, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is seeking to determine whether the meetings complied with Hatch Act of 1939Hatch Act of 1939
The Hatch Act of 1939 is a United States federal law whose main provision is to prohibit federal employees in the executive branch of the federal government, except the President and the Vice President, from engaging in partisan political activity...
that bars the use of federal resources—including office buildings, phones and computers—for partisan purposes. On July 25, 2007 in Senate subcommittee hearings chaired by Senator Chris Dodd, Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter
Ron Tschetter
-Education and Peace Corps service:Tschetter earned a bachelor's degree from Bethel University in psychology and social studies. After college, he and some friends traveled and hitchhiked around Europe, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Egypt. He returned home and met and married his wife Nancy...
disclosed that approximately fifteen Peace Corps officials including then Director Gaddi Vasquez attended one of the political briefings at Peace Corps Headquarters. In testimony before the committee, Tschetter said that he did not condone the meetings and that in his opinion they should not have happened. Dodd concluded by saying that "The reputation of this institution suffers when that happens. We have a reputation and we have a good one over the years and to have it soiled because people want to turn it into a political operation is something that I am not going to tolerate at all and I will call for heads if there are still people there involved in this. They should know better than this, to engage in that kind of activity."
Ambassador to FAO
United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture
The United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture is the head of the United States Mission to the UN Agencies in Rome and thus is the United States ambassador to the three United Nations agencies for food and agriculture located in Rome, Italy: the Food and...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. "The first day I went to work at the U.N., I was led into the governing council's meeting room for my first meeting," said Vasquez. "You see the nameplates around the table – France. U.K. Italy. United States of America. That's one of those moments you stop in your tracks and reflect on where you've been and what you're doing," Vasquez said. "I am fortunate, and blessed."
To publicize work done by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Fund for Agricultural Development
International Fund for Agricultural Development
The International Fund for Agricultural Development , a specialized agency of the United Nations, was established as an international financial institution in 1977 as one of the major outcomes of the 1974 World Food Conference. IFAD is dedicated to eradicating rural poverty in developing countries...
, and the World Food Programme
World Food Programme
The World Food Programme is the food aid branch of the United Nations, and the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger worldwide. WFP provides food, on average, to 90 million people per year, 58 million of whom are children...
to help reduce poverty and make agriculture more productive, Ambassador Vasquez accompanied journalists on media tours to Mali in December, 2006 and to Guatemala and Honduras in May, 2007. His trips aim to increase visibility for the anti-hunger efforts of the United States and the international community around the world.
Vasquez has also spoken out on hunger to groups in the United States. In an address to the Orange Rotarians in Orange County, California on January 24, 2008, Vasquez talked about the $1 billion that the United States spends on food aid every year and how part of Vasquez's job is to make sure that money is spent as wisely as possible. "Over 840 million people suffer from chronic malnutrition," Vasquez said. "My hope is to raise your awareness. Consider how you can contribute to this effort."
The Daily Titan reported on April 21, 2008 that Vasquez had been the keynote speaker at the 'Connecting Worlds" conference at California State Fullerton speaking to about 250 conference members about global hunger. Vasquez said his life had been transformed while Director of the Peace Corps by the things he had witnessed traveling all over the world and recounted that once while in the Caribbean he had encountered a boy to whom he gave a piece of candy. The boy broke the candy in three, ate one piece and sold the other two. "This is the desperation some parts of the world are reaching," Vasquez said.
In October 2008, Vasquez visited Colombia accompanied by seven Latin American journalists. Vasquez visited a small sausage factory built with support from USAID that now employs 12 people and is providing food to the community. "It's a small thing but very significant, because it is sustainable entrepreneurship and is providing jobs," Vasquez said.
Honors and awards
- Outstanding Alumni Award by the American Association of Community Colleges
- Coro Foundation Crystal Eagle Award
- Marine Corps Scholarship Fund Globe and Anchor Award
- Orange County Black Chamber of Commerce Award for Community Leadership
- Jewish National Fund Tree of Life Award
- B'nai Brith Award for Leadership and Community Service
External links
- Official State Department biography
- Peace Corps biography
- Peace Corps Writers: formal opposition to Vasquez's nomination to direct Peace Corps
- Friends of Nigeria article regarding Vasquez nomination
- Hobart & Williams Smith College article on Vasquez's first year in Peace Corps
- Returned Peace Corps Volunteers' analysis of National Call to Service program, from Peace Corps Online
- Gaddi Vasquez Orange County fiasco