R. Niels Marquardt
Encyclopedia
R. Niels Marquardt is an American diplomat and incumbent United States Ambassador to Madagascar and Comoros. He was nominated by President George W. Bush
on March 26, 2007. On May 25, 2007, the Senate confirmed his nomination. He was sworn in on August 17, 2007.
in 1994. He joined the U.S. foreign service in 1980.
Marquardt is married to Judith Marquardt and they have four daughters, Kaia, Kelsey, Torrin, and Yannika.
from 2004 to 2007 and as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Equatorial Guinea
from 2004 to 2006. From 2001 to 2004, he served as the Special Coordinator for Diplomatic Readiness. In this role, he was responsible for coordinating the largest increase in State Department recruiting, hiring, and training in its history. A senior Foreign Service officer, class of Minister-Counselor, he also served in 1998 to 2000 as Director of the Department's Entry-level Counseling and Assignments Division in the Bureau of Human Resources.
Marquardt's overseas assignments as an economic officer have taken him to Germany
(1995-98), France
(1990-94), Thailand
twice (1981-83, 1987-90) and Brazzaville
, Congo
(1983-85). He also served mainly in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs and as a Country Risk Analyst at the Export-Import Bank of the United States. Additionally, he attended the Senior Seminar and the Economic-Commercial Studies Program at the Department's Foreign Service Institute.
Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Marquardt served from 1977 to 1979 as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Rwanda
. His foreign languages include French
, German
, Thai
, and Spanish
. He is the recipient of several Meritorious and Superior Honor Awards as well as the Presidential Performance Pay on four occasions.
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....
on March 26, 2007. On May 25, 2007, the Senate confirmed his nomination. He was sworn in on August 17, 2007.
Biography
R. Niels Marquardt graduated from Lewis and Clark College in 1975 with a B.A., the American Graduate School of International Management in 1980, and from the National War CollegeNational War College
The National War College of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active. It was officially established on July 1, 1946, as an upgraded replacement for the...
in 1994. He joined the U.S. foreign service in 1980.
Marquardt is married to Judith Marquardt and they have four daughters, Kaia, Kelsey, Torrin, and Yannika.
Career
After joining the Foreign Service, he served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of CameroonCameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
from 2004 to 2007 and as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea, officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea where the capital Malabo is situated.Annobón is the southernmost island of Equatorial Guinea and is situated just south of the equator. Bioko island is the northernmost point of Equatorial Guinea. Between the two islands and to the...
from 2004 to 2006. From 2001 to 2004, he served as the Special Coordinator for Diplomatic Readiness. In this role, he was responsible for coordinating the largest increase in State Department recruiting, hiring, and training in its history. A senior Foreign Service officer, class of Minister-Counselor, he also served in 1998 to 2000 as Director of the Department's Entry-level Counseling and Assignments Division in the Bureau of Human Resources.
Marquardt's overseas assignments as an economic officer have taken him to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(1995-98), France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(1990-94), Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
twice (1981-83, 1987-90) and Brazzaville
Brazzaville
-Transport:The city is home to Maya-Maya Airport and a railway station on the Congo-Ocean Railway. It is also an important river port, with ferries sailing to Kinshasa and to Bangui via Impfondo...
, Congo
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
(1983-85). He also served mainly in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs and as a Country Risk Analyst at the Export-Import Bank of the United States. Additionally, he attended the Senior Seminar and the Economic-Commercial Studies Program at the Department's Foreign Service Institute.
Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Marquardt served from 1977 to 1979 as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
. His foreign languages include French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, Thai
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
, and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
. He is the recipient of several Meritorious and Superior Honor Awards as well as the Presidential Performance Pay on four occasions.