Richard Burt
Encyclopedia
Richard R. Burt is an American businessman and diplomat who served as United States Ambassador to Germany
and was a chief negotiator of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. Prior to his diplomatic career, Burt worked as director of a non-governmental organization
and was a correspondent for the New York Times.
, Chile
. He attended Cornell University
, where he earned his bachelor's degree, and earned a master's degree in international relations from Tufts University
in 1971. Following graduate school, he was selected for a research fellowship at the United States Naval War College. Following this fellowship, Burt moved to London to work as a research associate and later Assistant Director of the International Institute of Strategic Studies. In 1977, he was hired by the New York Times to work as a correspondent on national security issues.
Burt began working for the United States Department of State
in the early 1980s. In 1981, he was appointed Director of Politico-Military Affairs, and in 1983 Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs. In 1985, he became the United States Ambassador to Germany
. His tenure as Ambassador to Germany coincided with the beginning of the process that would lead to the reunification of Germany. In 1989, President George H.W. Bush appointed Burt as chief negotiator for the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I) between the United States
and the Soviet Union
, with the rank of Ambassador. The treaty, signed in 1991, limited the number of nuclear weapons that the two countries could have.
After negotiation of the START I treaty, Burt left government service and entered the private sector. He has since worked as a partner in consulting firms McKinsey and Company, Diligence, and McLarty and Associates. In addition, he has served on boards for Deutsche Bank
's Scudder and Germany mutual fund families, International Games Technology, UBS mutual funds, Textron Corporation, and Alfa Bank
. Burt is also a Senior Advisor to the Center for Strategic and International Studies
and U.S. Chair of Global Zero
.
United States Ambassador to Germany
The United States has had diplomatic relations with the nation of Germany and its predecessor nation, the Kingdom of Prussia, since 1835. These relations were broken twice while Germany and the United States were at war...
and was a chief negotiator of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. Prior to his diplomatic career, Burt worked as director of a non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
and was a correspondent for the New York Times.
Biography
Burt was born on February 3, 1947 in SewellSewell
Sewell may refer to:In people:*Anna Sewell , British writer, author of Black Beauty, daughter of Mary Wright Sewell*Anthony Sewell Sewell may refer to:In people:*Anna Sewell (1820–1878), British writer, author of Black Beauty, daughter of Mary Wright Sewell*Anthony Sewell Sewell may refer to:In...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
. He attended Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, where he earned his bachelor's degree, and earned a master's degree in international relations from Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
in 1971. Following graduate school, he was selected for a research fellowship at the United States Naval War College. Following this fellowship, Burt moved to London to work as a research associate and later Assistant Director of the International Institute of Strategic Studies. In 1977, he was hired by the New York Times to work as a correspondent on national security issues.
Burt began working for the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
in the early 1980s. In 1981, he was appointed Director of Politico-Military Affairs, and in 1983 Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs. In 1985, he became the United States Ambassador to Germany
United States Ambassador to Germany
The United States has had diplomatic relations with the nation of Germany and its predecessor nation, the Kingdom of Prussia, since 1835. These relations were broken twice while Germany and the United States were at war...
. His tenure as Ambassador to Germany coincided with the beginning of the process that would lead to the reunification of Germany. In 1989, President George H.W. Bush appointed Burt as chief negotiator for the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I) between the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, with the rank of Ambassador. The treaty, signed in 1991, limited the number of nuclear weapons that the two countries could have.
After negotiation of the START I treaty, Burt left government service and entered the private sector. He has since worked as a partner in consulting firms McKinsey and Company, Diligence, and McLarty and Associates. In addition, he has served on boards for Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank AG is a global financial service company with its headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. It employs more than 100,000 people in over 70 countries, and has a large presence in Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific and the emerging markets...
's Scudder and Germany mutual fund families, International Games Technology, UBS mutual funds, Textron Corporation, and Alfa Bank
Alfa Bank
Alfa Bank, the corporate treasury of the Alfa Group, is the largest private commercial bank in Russia. Headquartered in Moscow, it operates in 7 countries, providing financial services to over 40,000 active corporate customers and 5.3 million retail clients...
. Burt is also a Senior Advisor to the Center for Strategic and International Studies
Center for Strategic and International Studies
The Center for Strategic and International Studies is a bipartisan Washington, D.C., foreign policy think tank. The center was founded in 1962 by Admiral Arleigh Burke and Ambassador David Manker Abshire, originally as part of Georgetown University...
and U.S. Chair of Global Zero
Global Zero (campaign)
Global Zero is an international initiative launched in December 2008 to promote the elimination of nuclear weapons. It proposes a phased withdrawal and verification for the destruction of all devices held by official and unofficial members of the nuclear club...
.