March 7, 1983

The President today announced his intention to accord the personal rank of Ambassador to Abbott Washburn, of the District of Columbia, in his capacity as Chairman of the United States Delegation to the Region 2 Broadcasting-Satellite Conference of the International Telecommunication Union.

From 1937 to 1952, Mr. Washburn was manager of the department of public services at General Mills, Inc., in Minneapolis, Minn. He was executive vice chairman at the Crusade for Freedom, Inc., national headquarters in New York City in 1950 - 1952. In 1952 he was director of the organization (national headquarters) at the Citizens for Eisenhower in New York City and also correspondent and secretary as a member of the personnel staff of General Eisenhower in Denver and New York City. In 1961 - 1962 he was vice president of international operations at Carl Byoir and Associates, Inc., in Washington, D.C. He was president of Washburn, Stringer Associates, Inc., in Washington, D.C., and Mexico City in 1962 - 1969. He began his government career in 1953 as Executive Secretary of the President's Committee on International Information Activities in Washington, D.C., and was deputy to the Special Assistant to the President at the White House. In 1953 - 1961 he was Deputy Director of the United States Information Agency. He was the United States Representative to the Plenipotentiary Conference on Definitive Arrangements for the International Telecommunications Satellite Consortium (Deputy Chairman in 1969 - 1970 and Chairman with the personal rank of Ambassador in 1970 - 1971). In 1971 - 1974 he was consultant to the Director of the Office of Telecommunications Policy in the Executive Office of the President. In 1974 he was a member of the Board for International Broadcasting. In 1974 - 1982 he was a Commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission. Since 1983 he has been Chairman of the United States Delegation to the Region 2 Broadcasting-Satellite Conference of the International Telecommunication Union at the Department of State.

Mr. Washburn graduated from Harvard University (B.A., 1937). He served in the United States Navy as a lieutenant in 1942 - 1945. He was born March 1, 1915, in Duluth, Minn.

 

Date
03/07/1983