Larry C. Napper
Encyclopedia
Larry C. Napper served as the United States Ambassador to Latvia
from 1995 to 1998 and as the U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan
from 2001 to 2004.
Napper was born in San Antonio, Texas
. After graduating from Texas A&M University
in 1969 with a Bachelors Degree in History, he served in the United States army from 1969-72. Following his honorable discharge from the Army at the rank of Captain, Napper attended the University of Virginia
from 1972–74, earning a Masters Degree in Government and Foreign Affairs. Napper entered the United States Foreign Service
in August 1974.
After a year of Russian language training, Napper was assigned to the United States Embassy
in Moscow, where he served as Vice Consul from 1975-77. He then served as a Political Officer at the U.S. embassy in Gaborone
, Botswana
from 1977-79. Following a year of advanced training in Soviet and East European Affairs at Stanford University
, Napper joined the Department's Office of Soviet Union Affairs where he served until 1983. In 1983-84, Napper received an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellowship in the office of Representative Lee H. Hamilton
.
In 1984, Napper returned to Embassy Moscow for a two-year assignment as Chief of the Foreign Affairs Unit of the Political Section. From 1986-88 he served as Deputy Director of the Department's Office of southern African Affairs. After six months of Romanian language training, Napper became Chargé d'affaires
and later Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest
, Romania
from 1989-91. He received the Department's Distinguished Honor Award for leadership of the Embassy during the December 1989 overthrow
of the Ceausescu
dictatorship.
From August 1991 to July 1994, Napper served as Director of the Department's Office of Soviet Union Affairs, reorganizing it as the Office of Independent States and Commonwealth Affairs following the collapse of the Soviet Union. During his tenure, the United States established diplomatic relations with each of the fifteen independent states that emerged from the Soviet Union, opening embassies in each of their capitals. Napper received the Presidential Meritorious Service Award in 1994, as well as other State Department individual and group awards.
Mr. Napper served as the U.S. Ambassador to Latvia from July 1995 until July 1998. From July 1998 to June 2001, Mr. Napper was Coordinator for United States Assistance to Central and Eastern Europe, administering an assistance budget of more than $600 million.
Following his retirement from the foreign service, Napper took a position as senior lecturer at the George Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University
.
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
from 1995 to 1998 and as the U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
from 2001 to 2004.
Napper was born in San Antonio, 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...
. After graduating from Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
in 1969 with a Bachelors Degree in History, he served in the United States army from 1969-72. Following his honorable discharge from the Army at the rank of Captain, Napper attended the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
from 1972–74, earning a Masters Degree in Government and Foreign Affairs. Napper entered the United States Foreign Service
United States Foreign Service
The United States Foreign Service is a component of the United States federal government under the aegis of the United States Department of State. It consists of approximately 11,500 professionals carrying out the foreign policy of the United States and aiding U.S...
in August 1974.
After a year of Russian language training, Napper was assigned to the United States Embassy
Diplomatic mission
A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one state or an international inter-governmental organisation present in another state to represent the sending state/organisation in the receiving state...
in Moscow, where he served as Vice Consul from 1975-77. He then served as a Political Officer at the U.S. embassy in Gaborone
Gaborone
' is the capital and largest city of Botswana with a population of 191,776 based on a 2006 survey, about 10% of the total population of Botswana....
, Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
from 1977-79. Following a year of advanced training in Soviet and East European Affairs at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, Napper joined the Department's Office of Soviet Union Affairs where he served until 1983. In 1983-84, Napper received an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellowship in the office of Representative Lee H. Hamilton
Lee H. Hamilton
Lee Herbert Hamilton is a former member of the United States House of Representatives and currently a member of the U.S. Homeland Security Advisory Council. A member of the Democratic Party, Hamilton represented the 9th congressional district of Indiana from 1965 to 1999...
.
In 1984, Napper returned to Embassy Moscow for a two-year assignment as Chief of the Foreign Affairs Unit of the Political Section. From 1986-88 he served as Deputy Director of the Department's Office of southern African Affairs. After six months of Romanian language training, Napper became Chargé d'affaires
Chargé d'affaires
In diplomacy, chargé d’affaires , often shortened to simply chargé, is the title of two classes of diplomatic agents who head a diplomatic mission, either on a temporary basis or when no more senior diplomat has been accredited.-Chargés d’affaires:Chargés d’affaires , who were...
and later Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
from 1989-91. He received the Department's Distinguished Honor Award for leadership of the Embassy during the December 1989 overthrow
Romanian Revolution of 1989
The Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a series of riots and clashes in December 1989. These were part of the Revolutions of 1989 that occurred in several Warsaw Pact countries...
of the Ceausescu
Nicolae Ceausescu
Nicolae Ceaușescu was a Romanian Communist politician. He was General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 to 1989, and as such was the country's second and last Communist leader...
dictatorship.
From August 1991 to July 1994, Napper served as Director of the Department's Office of Soviet Union Affairs, reorganizing it as the Office of Independent States and Commonwealth Affairs following the collapse of the Soviet Union. During his tenure, the United States established diplomatic relations with each of the fifteen independent states that emerged from the Soviet Union, opening embassies in each of their capitals. Napper received the Presidential Meritorious Service Award in 1994, as well as other State Department individual and group awards.
Mr. Napper served as the U.S. Ambassador to Latvia from July 1995 until July 1998. From July 1998 to June 2001, Mr. Napper was Coordinator for United States Assistance to Central and Eastern Europe, administering an assistance budget of more than $600 million.
Following his retirement from the foreign service, Napper took a position as senior lecturer at the George Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
.