Nomination of J. William Middendorf II To Be United States Representative to the European Communities

The President today announced his intention to nominate J. William Middendorf II to be the Representative of the United States of America to the European Communities with the rank and status of Ambassador. He would succeed George Southall Vest.

Since 1981 he has been serving as Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the Organization of American States, with the rank of Ambassador. Previously he was chairman of the finance committee of the Presidential Inaugural Committee. He was president and chief executive officer of Financial General Bankshares, Inc., in 1977-1981. He served as Under Secretary, then Secretary of the Navy in 1974-1977. In 1969-1973 he was the United States Ambassador to the Netherlands.

He received a bachelor of naval science from Holy Cross College in 1945 and a bachelor of arts degree from Harvard University in 1947. He also graduated from New York University Graduate School of Business Administration (M.B.A., 1954). He is married and has four children. He was born September 22, 1924, in Baltimore, MD.