Francis J. Ricciardone Jr.

Francis Joseph Ricciardone Jr.
Francis Joseph Ricciardone Jr.
President of the American University in Cairo
	In office; July 1, 2016 – June 2021
Preceded by	Thomas E. Thomason (interim); Lisa Anderson
Succeeded by	Ahmad Dallal
United States Ambassador to Turkey
	In office; January 1, 2011 – July 7, 2014
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	James Franklin Jeffrey
Succeeded by	John R. Bass
United States Deputy Ambassador to Afghanistan
	In office; 2009–2010
United States Ambassador to Egypt
	In office; August 2, 2005 – 2008
Preceded by	C. David Welch
Succeeded by	Margaret Scobey
United States Ambassador to the Philippines
	In office; February 21, 2002 – April 3, 2005
Preceded by	Robert W. Fitts
Succeeded by	Kristie Kenney
United States Ambassador to Palau
	In office; February 21, 2002 – October 10, 2004
Preceded by	Thomas C. Hubbard
Succeeded by	Helen Reed-Rowe
Personal details
Born	1951 (age 70–71); Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Spouse(s)	Marie Ricciardone
Alma mater	Dartmouth College
Profession	Diplomat

Francis Joseph Ricciardone Jr. (born 1952) is a former President of the American University in Cairo. Ambassador Ricciardone was the United States ambassador to Turkey^[2] between 2011 and 2014.^[3] Previously he was Deputy Ambassador at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. He was also on leave from the U.S. Department of State as a guest scholar at the U.S. Institute of Peace. He has served as U.S. Ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt (2005–2008),^[4] the Republic of the Philippines and the Republic of Palau (2002–2005). As a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, he received U.S. government and other organization awards for his work in foreign policy and program management, political reporting and analysis, and peacekeeping.

Ricciardone has extensive diplomatic experience with Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Jordan. He speaks fluent Arabic, Turkish, and Italian. He has served in two multinational military deployments: as chief of the Civilian Observer Unit of the Multinational Force and Observers in Egypt's Sinai Desert, and as political advisor to the U.S. and Turkish commanding generals of Operation Provide Comfort, based in Turkey and operating in Iraq. In Washington, Ricciardone directed the Department of State's 9/11 Task Force on the Coalition Against Terrorism and served as Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's special coordinator for the Transition of Iraq (1999–2001). He also has served in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, and in senior management positions under the Director General of the Foreign Service and of Human Resources.

Early life and career[]

Ricciardone is the son of Francis Ricciardone Sr., a Seabee veteran of World War II.^[5] He graduated from Malden Catholic High School in Malden, Massachusetts.

Upon graduation summa cum laude from Dartmouth College in 1973, he received a Fulbright Scholarship for teaching and study in Italy. He went to Iran as a teacher in 1976 where he taught at the Community School, Tehran, traveling widely in Southwest Asia, Europe, and the Middle East until he entered the Foreign Service in 1978.^[6]

He speaks Italian, Turkish, Arabic and French.^[7]

AUC Presidency[]

Ricciardone was named president of the American University in Cairo and assumed office on July 1, 2016.^[8] In February 2019, the faculty of the American University overwhelmingly voted that they had "no confidence" in Ricciardone's leadership.^[9] According to the New York Times, the faculty members cited low morale, complaints about his management style, grievances over contracts and accusations of illegal discrimination. On Feb 10, 2019 the Board of Trustees of the American University in Cairo voted unanimously to reaffirm its “continued confidence” and “unqualified support” in Ricciardone and his administration, and extended his contract as President.^[10] Ricciardone retired from the Presidency in June, 2021.

Foreign service[]

Nominated by President George W. Bush on July 25, 2005, and confirmed by the United States Senate on July 29, 2005, Ricciardone was sworn in as United States Ambassador to Egypt on August 26, 2005.

Ricciardone was Deputy Ambassador for the American mission to Afghanistan from May 2010.^[11]^[12]^[13]

Ricciardone's nomination to be ambassador to Turkey stalled during 2010, and in late 2010, President Obama gave Ricciardone a recess appointment so he could begin serving. The U.S. Senate then confirmed Ricciardone in a voice vote on October 4, 2011.^[14]

Family[]

Ricciardone is married to Marie, a molecular biologist^[15] who was educated and later taught in Turkish universities during her husband's service time in Turkey.^[5] The couple has two daughters, Francesca and Chiara. Francesca was born in Turkey. Both daughters were schooled in Ankara for three years.^[5]

References[]

^ "Former Chiefs of Mission between 1778 and 2010". Embassy of the United States. Archived from the original on June 21, 2010. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
^ "Francis Joseph Ricciardone Jr". US State Department. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
^ "US Senate confirms John Bass as ambassador to Turkey". Archived from the original on October 9, 2014.
^ "Biography, Francis J. Ricciardone Jr". U.S. Department of State. September 8, 2005. Retrieved October 12, 2007. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^ ^a ^b ^c "Testimony of Francis J. Ricciardone Ambassador-Designate to the Republic of Turkey July 20, 2010 Senate Foreign Relations Committee" (PDF). Foreign Policy. Retrieved August 13, 2010.
^ "News and Events". Csre Union. January 16, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
^ "Biography, Francis J. Ricciardone Jr". United States Institute of Peace. Archived from the original on August 13, 2008. Retrieved January 11, 2009. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^ "Francis J. Ricciardone Named President of the American University in Cairo". American University in Cairo. March 2, 2016. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
^ "Revolt at American University Where Pompeo Addressed Middle East". The New York Times. February 6, 2019.
^ www.aucegypt.edu/statements/reaffirmation-of-confidence
^ Karen DeYoung (March 2009). "Hundreds of New Civilian Employees Proposed for Afghanistan". Washington Post. Retrieved March 18, 2009.
^ James Bone and Tom Coghlan (March 2009). "US strengthens diplomatic presence in Afghanistan". Times Online. London. Retrieved March 18, 2009.
^ "Deputy Ambassador". Embassy of the United States Kabul, Afghanistan. June 13, 2011. Archived from the original on June 21, 2011. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
^ "U.S. Senate Periodical Press Gallery". Senate. Archived from the original on May 2, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
^ Kimberly Sheu (August 2, 2005). "Ricciardone '73 named ambassador to Egypt". The Dartmouth News.

External links[]

Francis Ricciardone's official website
United States Embassy in Ankara: Ambassador Ricciardone's biography
Appearances on C-SPAN
"Testimony of Francis J. Ricciardone, Ambassador-Designate to the Republic of Turkey", Senate Foreign Relations Committee, July 20, 2010

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Robert W. Fitts	United States Ambassador to the Philippines 2002–2005	Succeeded by Joseph A. Mussomeli
Preceded by Thomas C. Hubbard	United States Ambassador to Palau 2002–2004	Succeeded by Helen Reed-Rowe
Preceded by C. David Welch	United States Ambassador to Egypt 2005–2008	Succeeded by Margaret Scobey
Preceded by James Franklin Jeffrey	United States Ambassador to Turkey 2011–2014	Succeeded by John R. Bass

[1] "Former Chiefs of Mission between 1778 and 2010". Embassy of the United States. Archived from the original on June 21, 2010. Retrieved November 14, 2014.

[2] "Francis Joseph Ricciardone Jr". US State Department. Retrieved July 1, 2014.

[3] "US Senate confirms John Bass as ambassador to Turkey". Archived from the original on October 9, 2014.

[archive-4] "Biography, Francis J. Ricciardone Jr". U.S. Department of State. September 8, 2005. Retrieved October 12, 2007. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

[fp-5] "Testimony of Francis J. Ricciardone Ambassador-Designate to the Republic of Turkey July 20, 2010 Senate Foreign Relations Committee" (PDF). Foreign Policy. Retrieved August 13, 2010.

[6] "News and Events". Csre Union. January 16, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2012.

[bio-7] "Biography, Francis J. Ricciardone Jr". United States Institute of Peace. Archived from the original on August 13, 2008. Retrieved January 11, 2009. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

[8] "Francis J. Ricciardone Named President of the American University in Cairo". American University in Cairo. March 2, 2016. Retrieved March 5, 2016.

[nyt2019-9] "Revolt at American University Where Pompeo Addressed Middle East". The New York Times. February 6, 2019.

[10] www.aucegypt.edu/statements/reaffirmation-of-confidence

[wapo-afghan-11] Karen DeYoung (March 2009). "Hundreds of New Civilian Employees Proposed for Afghanistan". Washington Post. Retrieved March 18, 2009.

[times-afghan-12] James Bone and Tom Coghlan (March 2009). "US strengthens diplomatic presence in Afghanistan". Times Online. London. Retrieved March 18, 2009.

[13] "Deputy Ambassador". Embassy of the United States Kabul, Afghanistan. June 13, 2011. Archived from the original on June 21, 2011. Retrieved August 21, 2012.

[14] "U.S. Senate Periodical Press Gallery". Senate. Archived from the original on May 2, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2012.

[DartmouthNews-15] Kimberly Sheu (August 2, 2005). "Ricciardone '73 named ambassador to Egypt". The Dartmouth News.

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v t United States Ambassadors to Turkey
Ottoman Empire
Chargé d'Affaires	Erving Porter
Minister Resident	Porter Carr Marsh Williams Morris MacVeagh Boker Maynard Longstreet
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary	Wallace Cox Straus Hirsch Thompson Terrell Angell Straus Leishman
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	Leishman Straus Rockhill Morgenthau Elkus
Republic of Turkey
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	Grew Sherrill Skinner MacMurray Steinhardt Wadsworth McGhee A Warren Hare Hart Komer Macomber Spiers Spain Strausz-Hupé Abramowitz Barkley Grossman Pearson Edelman Wilson Jeffrey Ricciardone Baily Bass Satterfield Flake

Francis Joseph Ricciardone Jr.


President of the American University in Cairo
In office July 1, 2016 – June 2021
Preceded by	Thomas E. Thomason (interim) Lisa Anderson
Succeeded by	Ahmad Dallal
United States Ambassador to Turkey
In office January 1, 2011 – July 7, 2014^[1]
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	James Franklin Jeffrey
Succeeded by	John R. Bass
United States Deputy Ambassador to Afghanistan
In office 2009–2010
United States Ambassador to Egypt
In office August 2, 2005 – 2008
Preceded by	C. David Welch
Succeeded by	Margaret Scobey
United States Ambassador to the Philippines
In office February 21, 2002 – April 3, 2005
Preceded by	Robert W. Fitts
Succeeded by	Kristie Kenney
United States Ambassador to Palau
In office February 21, 2002 – October 10, 2004
Preceded by	Thomas C. Hubbard
Succeeded by	Helen Reed-Rowe

Personal details
Born	1951 (age 70–71) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Spouse(s)	Marie Ricciardone
Alma mater	Dartmouth College
Profession	Diplomat

U.S. Near Eastern Affairs Diplomats

Loy W. Henderson (1922–1960) Charles W. Yost (1930–1971) Dayton S. Mak (1946–1970) Hermann Eilts (1947–1979) William Stoltzfus (1949–1976) Andrew Killgore (1949–1980) Richard Bordeaux Parker (1949–1981) William L. Eagleton (1949–1988) Robert O. Waring (194?–1976) (1950–1980) Talcott Williams Seelye (1950–1981) Joseph J. Sisco (1951–1976) Alfred Atherton (1954–1984) Nicholas A. Veliotes (1955–1986) Richard W. Murphy (1955–1989) Joseph W. Twinam (195?–1985) (195?-198?) Robert Pelletreau (1962–1996) W. Nathaniel Howell (1965–1992) Edward Djerejian (1966–1994) Hume Horan (1966–1998) April Glaspie (1966–2002) Wat T. Cluverius IV (1967–?) Edward S. Walker Jr. (1967–2001) Edward Gnehm (1969–2003) Ronald E. Neumann (1970–2007) Ryan Crocker (1972–present) Harold H. Saunders (1974–1981) Barbara Bodine (1975–present) Mary Ann Casey (1976-1994) David Welch (1977–2008) Francis J. Ricciardone Jr. (1978–present) Daniel C. Kurtzer (1981–2006) William Joseph Burns (1982–present) Zalmay Khalilzad (1984–present) Dennis Ross (1989–1992) Martin Indyk (1995–2001)
v t