Nomination of Robert G. Rich, Jr., To Be United States Ambassador to Belize

The President today announced his intention to nominate Robert G. Rich, Jr., a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be the United States Ambassador to Belize. He would succeed Malcolm R. Barnebey.

Prior to joining the Foreign Service in 1957, Mr. Rich was a graduate research assistant at the University of Florida, 1954-1955; junior research engineer, Sperry Rand Corp., Little Neck, NY, 1955; and graduate teaching assistant at Cornell University, 1955-1957. His first assignment in the Department of State was staff officer in the Executive Secretariat, 1957-1959. He was assigned as a political affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, Korea, 1959-1962, followed as administrative officer at our consulate in Medan, Indonesia, 1962-1963. Mr. Rich then served as political officer at the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, 1963-1965, returning to Medan as principal officer, 1966-1967. He served on the Indonesian desk at the Department of State for 2 years and then as senior watch officer in the Operations Center, 1969-1971. Mr. Rich attended the National War College for a year before becoming staff director of the Board of Examiners for the Foreign Service, 1972-1973. From 1974 to 1975, he was deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Mr. Rich then became Director of Korean affairs in the Department, 1977-1981, followed by a year at the senior executive seminar in national and international affairs. He then became deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Manila, Philippines, 1982-1985, and since 1986 has been in charge of special projects on U.S. relations with the Philippines.

Mr. Rich graduated from the University of Florida (B.S., 1952). He served in the U.S. Navy, 1952-1954. Mr. Rich is articulate in Indonesian. He was born November 15, 1930, in Gainesville, FL. Mr. Rich has six children and resides in Arlington, VA.