Dieter Named Ambassador to Belize
Former LSC Board Member Robert J. Dieter was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to Belize on July 25th. At a State Department ceremony presided over by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Dieter's two years of service as Chairman of the Board's Finance Committee came to an end. "It's a real honor to have the opportunity to represent the President and the American people, and I'm going to try and do my best," Dieter says. "It's quite a change from being a law professor," which he has been for nearly thirty years, overseeing a legal aid clinic at the University of Colorado.
Belize boasts hundreds of miles of coastline on the Caribbean Sea, wild jungles, and Mayan ruins that attract archeologists from all over the world. His new job responsibilities include ensuring the safety of embassy personnel, Americans living in the host country, and the literally hundreds of thousands of American tourists that come to the country each year. He will also have to maintain good relationships with such diverse groups as the Peace Corps, the Smithsonian Institution and the Drug Enforcement Agency. Still, Dieter relishes the chance to make a difference. "An ambassador can make the job as challenging as he wants. There is an opportunity to do something of value and significance in Belize, and hopefully when I get a better lay of the land I'll be able to pick out some things where I can make a contribution." Although he is eager to begin the next chapter in his life, Dieter will not soon forget his colleagues on the LSC Board. "I very much enjoyed my time on the Board, and meeting other members from around the country with different backgrounds. I hope some of them will find time to come down and visit, but if ten percent of the people who have indicated they're coming actually show up, we'll be overwhelmed!"
back to top ^ |
