Henry E. Catto, Jr.

Henry E. Catto, Jr. (born December 6, 1930) is an American businessman and public servant.

A native of San Antonio,Texas, he was educated at T.M.I.—The Episcopal School of Texas, graduating in 1948, and at Williams College, graduating in 1952. In the early 1960s, Catto twice ran for the Texas Legislature, losing both times. In his 1960 attempt, he lost to notorious San Antonio gambler V. E. “Red” Berry. [cite book | title = Ambassadors at Sea: The High and Low Adventures of a Diplomat | first = Henry E. | last = Catto | year = 1998 | location = Austin | publisher = University of Texas Press | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=jrS-Ccy5WYcC&pg=PA9&ots=jcHVHq88KP&dq=%22Red+Berry%22+texas+legislature&num=50&sig=z_4M50vSJegSEq7baUv3e_3cbP8#PPA9,M1 | pages = pp. 9–10 | isbn = 9780292712126 | oclc = 39045205 | accessdate = 2007-08-09 ]

Catto has held several positions within the United States government. He was the Deputy Representative to the Organization of American States from 1969-1971, Ambassador to El Salvador from 1971 to 1973, the Chief of Protocol of the United States from 1974 to 1976, the Ambassador to the United Nations Office at Geneva from 1976 to 1977, and the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs from 1981 to 1983. In 1989, President George H. W. Bush appointed him as the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom. He held the position until 1991, when he became the director of the United States Information Agency.

From 1955 to 2000 he was a partner in the insurance brokerage firm Catto & Catto in San Antonio. From l983-l989, he was vice chairman and president of a broadcast group at H&C Communications, operator of network television stations (Houston, Des Moines, Tucson, Nashville, Orlando-Daytona Beach, San Antonio). In l999, he was elected chairman of the Atlantic Council of the United States, and in 2007 its Chairman Emeritus.

He is currently a vice chairman of the Aspen Institute,served on the NPR Board from 1995-2001, is currently a member of the Board of the National Public Radio Foundation, and a contributing editor of the "American Journalism Review." He has been Diplomat-in-Residence at the University of Texas at San Antonio, former member of the Smithsonian National Board, a current member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and is on the Advisory Council of America Abroad Media. Ambassador Catto is the author of Ambassadors at Sea, the High and Low Adventures of a Diplomat, holds an honorary LLD from the University of Aberdeen, from St. Mary's University in San Antonio, and is a member of The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple in London.

He is married to the former Jessica Hobby, daughter of William P. Hobby and Oveta Culp Hobby,cite web | url = http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=samman&id=I8702 | title = Norman ~ Mantooth Genealogy: Jessica Hobby | accessdate = 2007-08-10 | last = Mantooth | first = Sammye Norman | date = 2007-02-15 | format = Family group sheet ] and together the Cattos have four children: Heather, John, Will, and Isa.

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