Henry L. Kimelman
Encyclopedia
Henry L. Kimelman was the United States
Ambassador to Haiti
from 1980-1981.
He was President of the Virgin Isle Hotel, the largest resort in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
, from 1950-1960. He was also Chairman of the Board and CEO of Island Block Corp. from 1955-1980, and Chairman and CEO of the West Indies Corp. from 1969-1980.
In 1961, he was appointed the Virgin Islands delegate to the Caribbean Organization. In 1962, he was appointed by President John F. Kennedy
to the United States Delegation to the Independence Ceremonies of both Trinidad and Tobago
and Jamaica
. He served as the first Commissioner of Commerce, Industry and Tourism for the United States Virgin Islands
from 1961-1964. He was a Director and Chairman of the Executive Committee of Diners Club
and served on the Board of the American Hotel Association. In 1967, during the Johnson
Administration, he was appointed Chief of Staff to United States Secretary of the Interior
Stewart Udall
. In 1968, the President appointed him to the Board of the newly created National Parks Foundation.
His political work landed him on the master list of Nixon political opponents
. He was Chairman of the Board, and Finance Chairman of the George McGovern
presidential committee in 1972. He was Deputy Chairman and Finance Chairman of Senator Frank Church
’s presidential campaign in 1976, and a senior political adviser to Gary Hart
’s presidential campaign in 1988. In 1981, he became a partner at the prestigious investment bank LF Rothschild, headquartered in New York City. He semi-retired in 1990.
He was the first US Ambassador to be awarded Haiti’s highest civilian decoration, the Grand Cross of Honor and Merit. The Governor of the Virgin Islands proclaimed February 4, 1998, “Henry L. Kimelman Day.” Ambassador Kimelman also has been honored by the government of Israel
. In 2004, Dakota Wesleyan University
awarded him an honorary doctorate in Humane Letters. He was Co-Chair of the Council of American Ambassadors, and Chairman of its Endowment Fund.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Ambassador to Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
from 1980-1981.
He was President of the Virgin Isle Hotel, the largest resort in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint Thomas is an island in the Caribbean Sea and with the islands of Saint John, Saint Croix, and Water Island a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands , an unincorporated territory of the United States. Located on the island is the territorial capital and port of...
, from 1950-1960. He was also Chairman of the Board and CEO of Island Block Corp. from 1955-1980, and Chairman and CEO of the West Indies Corp. from 1969-1980.
In 1961, he was appointed the Virgin Islands delegate to the Caribbean Organization. In 1962, he was appointed by President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
to the United States Delegation to the Independence Ceremonies of both Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
and Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. He served as the first Commissioner of Commerce, Industry and Tourism for the United States Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands of the United States are a group of islands in the Caribbean that are an insular area of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.The U.S...
from 1961-1964. He was a Director and Chairman of the Executive Committee of Diners Club
Diners Club
Diners Club International, founded as Diners Club, is a charge card company formed in 1950 by Frank X. McNamara, Ralph Schneider and Matty Simmons...
and served on the Board of the American Hotel Association. In 1967, during the Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
Administration, he was appointed Chief of Staff to United States Secretary of the Interior
United States Secretary of the Interior
The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries...
Stewart Udall
Stewart Udall
Stewart Lee Udall was an American politician. After serving three terms as a congressman from Arizona, he served as Secretary of the Interior from 1961 to 1969, under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B...
. In 1968, the President appointed him to the Board of the newly created National Parks Foundation.
His political work landed him on the master list of Nixon political opponents
Master list of Nixon political opponents
A master list of Nixon political opponents was compiled to supplement the original Nixon's Enemies List of 20 key people considered opponents of President Richard Nixon. The master list was compiled by Charles Colson's office and sent in memorandum form to John Dean. Dean later provided this...
. He was Chairman of the Board, and Finance Chairman of the George McGovern
George McGovern
George Stanley McGovern is an historian, author, and former U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator, and the Democratic Party nominee in the 1972 presidential election....
presidential committee in 1972. He was Deputy Chairman and Finance Chairman of Senator Frank Church
Frank Church
Frank Forrester Church III was an American lawyer and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a United States Senator from Idaho from 1957 to 1981....
’s presidential campaign in 1976, and a senior political adviser to Gary Hart
Gary Hart
Gary Hart is an American politician, lawyer, author, professor and commentator. He served as a Democratic Senator representing Colorado , and ran in the U.S...
’s presidential campaign in 1988. In 1981, he became a partner at the prestigious investment bank LF Rothschild, headquartered in New York City. He semi-retired in 1990.
He was the first US Ambassador to be awarded Haiti’s highest civilian decoration, the Grand Cross of Honor and Merit. The Governor of the Virgin Islands proclaimed February 4, 1998, “Henry L. Kimelman Day.” Ambassador Kimelman also has been honored by the government of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. In 2004, Dakota Wesleyan University
Dakota Wesleyan University
Dakota Wesleyan University is a four-year university located in Mitchell, South Dakota, founded in 1885, that is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The student body averages slightly less than 800 students...
awarded him an honorary doctorate in Humane Letters. He was Co-Chair of the Council of American Ambassadors, and Chairman of its Endowment Fund.