Mary M. Ourisman

Mary Ourisman

Mary Martin Ourisman is an American diplomat. She is the current U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, comprising the countries of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.^[1]

Biography

Ourisman was born to Dr. Herbert and Aleen Martin in Texas, 1946. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1970 with a Bachelor of Science degree. She also attended the Academy of Arts College in San Francisco and the New York School of Interior Design. On June 12, 1993, she married Mandell "Mandy" Ourisman, chairman of Ourisman Automotive Enterprises.^[2] She is a supporter of the arts, having organized fund raisers and served on numerous boards of directors for arts groups and museums.^[1] She was appointed to the Board of Trustees for the Kennedy Center by President Bush, and she sat on the Board of Trustees for the Washington National Opera.^[3] Ourisman was also on the Board of Directors for the Blair House, serving on the "decorating committee," for the President's guest house for visiting foreign Heads of State.^[4] She served on the Smithsonian National Board in 1999.^[5] She has also served on the World Wildlife Fund National Council, McCain 2000, the Elizabeth Dole Committee, and George W. Bush for President (2004).^[2] The Ourismans have donated $443,620 to GOP candidates and committees since 1999.^[6]

President George W. Bush announced his intention to name Ourisman the Ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean on July 20, 2006, and submitted his formal nomination to the Senate the next day.^[7] The Senate confirmed Ourisman's nomination on September 13, 2006,^[7] she was appointed ambassador on October 11, and she arrived at the U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados, on October 31.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Ourisman, Mary M.". U.S. Department of State. 2007-10-05. Archived from the original on 2008-04-09. http://web.archive.org/web/20080409084917/http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/74905.htm. Retrieved 2008-04-15. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Ourisman, Mary M.". NNDB. 2008-10-07. http://www.nndb.com/people/719/000122353/. Retrieved 2008-10-07. 
3. ^ "Ourisman, Mary M.". U.S. Embassy Barbados & Eastern Caribbean. 2008-10-07. http://barbados.usembassy.gov/bio.html. Retrieved 2008-10-07. ^{[dead link]}
4. ^ "Checkbook Diplomacy: the buying of ambassadorships". The Center of Public Integrity. 2008-08-11. http://www.buyingofthepresident.org/index.php/stories/checkbook_diplomacy/P0/. Retrieved 2008-10-07. 
5. ^ "Smithsonian Year 1999". Smithsonian Institution. http://www.si.edu/opa/annualrpts/99report/introductory.pdf. 
6. ^ Argetsinger, Amy; Roberts, Roxanne (2006-07-31). "Her Ambassadorship Has Come In. Next Stop: Barbados.". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/24/AR2006072401256.html. Retrieved 2010-04-15. 
7. ^ ^{a b} "Presidential Nomination: Mary M. Ourisman". The White House. http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/nominations/1194.html. Retrieved 2008-04-15. 

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Mary Kramer	United States Ambassador to Barbados September 15, 2006-	Succeeded by incumbent
Preceded by Mary Kramer	United States Ambassador to Dominica 2006-	Succeeded by incumbent
Preceded by Mary Kramer	United States Ambassador to Saint Lucia 2006-	Succeeded by incumbent
Preceded by Mary Kramer	United States Ambassador to Antigua 2006-	Succeeded by incumbent
Preceded by Mary Kramer	United States Ambassador to Saint Kitts and Nevis 2006-	Succeeded by incumbent
Preceded by Mary Kramer	United States Ambassador to St. Vincent 2006-	Succeeded by incumbent

Persondata
Name	Ourisman, Mary M.
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Date of birth	1946
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Date of death
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