Nomination of Everett Ellis Briggs To Be United States Ambassador to Honduras

The President today announced his intention to nominate Everett Ellis Briggs, of New Hampshire, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, as Ambassador to the Republic of Honduras. He succeeds John Arthur Ferch.

Mr. Briggs entered the Foreign Service in 1956, and from that time until 1958, he served as an international relations officer in the Bureau of Inter-American Affairs and a member of the staff of the United States delegation of the Inter-American Economic and Social Council, Organization of American States. In 1958 he became the Salvadoran desk officer before going to La Paz, Bolivia, as political officer and vice consul. From 1961 to 1963, he served as staff assistant and consul in Berlin, German Democratic Republic. From there, in 1963 he became political officer at the U.S. Embassy in Lisbon, Portugal. Mr. Briggs returned to the Department in 1967-1969 as international relations officer in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs. From 1969 to 1971, he first served as Portuguese desk officer and then Deputy Director of the Office of Iberian Affairs in the Bureau of European Affairs. He attended the National War College in 1971-1972. Mr. Briggs was appointed consul general in Luanda, Angola, in 1972 and was then assigned in 1974-1978 as deputy chief of mission in Asuncion, Paraguay. From Paraguay he went to Bogota, Colombia, as deputy chief of mission until 1979, when he returned to the Department as Director and Deputy Coordinator for Mexican Affairs. From 1981 to 1982, he was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs. In 1982 he was appointed Ambassador to Panama and served there until March of 1986, when he became Vice President of the National Defense University.

Mr. Briggs graduated from Dartmouth College (A.B., 1956) and the George Washington University (M.S., 1972). His foreign languages are Spanish, Portuguese, and German. He is married to the former Sally Soast, and they have five children. Mr. Briggs was born April 6, 1934, in Havana, Cuba, of American parents.