Paul W. Jones

Paul Jones
United States Ambassador to Poland
Assumed office
September 24, 2015
President Barack Obama
Preceded by Stephen Mull
United States Ambassador to Malaysia
In office
October 18, 2010 – July 8, 2013
President Barack Obama
Preceded by James Keith
Succeeded by Joseph Yun
Personal details
Born 1960 (age 55–56)
Yorktown Heights, New York, U.S.
Alma mater Cornell University
University of Virginia
Naval War College

Paul Wayne Jones (born 1960) is the current United States Ambassador to Poland. Prior to that, he served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs at the United States Department of State[1] and earlier he served as the U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia.[2] He arrived in Warsaw, Poland, and began serving as Ambassador on September 24, 2015.[3] He is widely regarded as one of the Foreign Service's only senior experts on both Europe and East Asia.

Early life and education

Jones was born and raised in Yorktown Heights, New York. He earned his B.A. from Cornell University. His post-graduate work includes a Masters of Arts in Public Administration from University of Virginia and a Masters of Science in National Security Affairs from the Naval War College.[4]

Diplomatic career

Jones joined the United States Foreign Service in 1987. For the next two years, he served as consular and political officer in Bogota, Colombia, during a period when narco-traffickers threatened the country. He returned to Washington in 1989, where he worked in the State Department’s 24-hour Operations Center during the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe, U.S. military operations in Panama and coup attempts in the Philippines. Jones' next assignment was in Moscow, from 1992 to 1994. Jones returned to Washington as desk officer for the Benelux countries. After the Dayton Agreement, Jones was sent to Sarajevo beginning in January 1996 as the Executive Assistant to the Head of Mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Ambassador Robert Frowick. Jones was then selected by Ambassador Christopher R. Hill to be the first Deputy Chief of Mission to Macedonia, where he served from the summer of 1996 to 1999.[5]

After a year at the Naval War College, Jones served on the Secretary of State's staff as Director of the Secretariat Staff, working the transition between Secretaries Madeleine Albright and Colin Powell. He then became Director of the Balkans office in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. Jones graduated from the State Department’s Senior Seminar in 2004, and then was assigned as Deputy Chief of Mission to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna until 2005.[6]

Jones' career began to focus on Asia in 2005, when he was assigned as Chargé d'Affaires and Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Manila, under Ambassador Kristie Kenney. In January 2009, Richard Holbrooke asked Jones to serve as his Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. Jones worked intensively with Holbrooke on Afghanistan and Pakistan until assuming his new role as the U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia in September 2010.[6]

Ambassador to Malaysia 2010-2013

Ambassador Jones with Secretary Hillary Clinton during her visit to Malaysia in Nov. 2010.
Ambassador Jones with Click! Camp participants.

Jones was nominated by President Barack Obama for the position of Ambassador to Malaysia on July 12, 2010. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on August 5, 2010, and he was sworn in by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington DC on September 8.[7] Jones arrived in Malaysia on September 13 and presented his Letter of Credence from President Obama to the then King of Malaysia, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, at the Palace on October 18, 2010.[8]

In his role as ambassador, Jones has emphasized strengthening ties between the United States and Malaysia in education and exchanges, science and technology, trade and investment, entrepreneurship, and security. During Jones' tenure, both Secretary of State Clinton[9] and United States Secretary of Defense Robert Gates[10] separately made their first ever visits to Malaysia in November 2010.

Return to the United States 2013-2015

After serving as ambassador, Jones returned to the United States joining the US Department of State in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. He served as the Principle Deputy Assistant Secretary from 2013-2015. He was responsible for all aspects of U.S. policy and operations in Europe, particularly Russia and Ukraine.[11] In this role, he was particularly well known for his interest in cooperation among the Arctic nations.

Ambassador to Poland 2015-Present

On June 8, 2015, Jones was nominated to serve as the United States Ambassador to Poland.[12] Ambassador Jones had his hearing before the U.S. Senate on July 24, 2015 during which he said, "Poland has become one of our closest allies in NATO." He also stated, "Our partnership is based on democratic values and engagement in politics aimed at peace and social prosperity." [13] U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry swore in Ambassador Jones on September 11, 2015.[14] He arrived in Warsaw, Poland, and began serving as Ambassador on September 24, 2015.[3]

Awards and honors

Jones received the Robert C. Frasure Memorial Award for peace building in the southern Philippines in 2008. He is the recipient of the Presidential Meritorious Service Award and several Superior Honor Awards.[6]

Personal

Jones' mother, Evelyn Hale White Jones, was born in Mumbai, India, to British parents. His father, John Wayne Jones, was born and raised in Missouri and was a veteran of World War II in the Pacific. His great-grandfather was the physician Sir William Hale-White and his great-great-grandfather was the author William Hale White, who wrote under the pen name Mark Rutherford.[15] He is also the nephew of sailor and author Hal Roth. He has two sisters; one is a physician and the other a schoolteacher.

Jones is married to Catherine Jones, an award-winning author and freelance writer, who is the daughter of retired U.S. Ambassador Brandon Grove[16] and Marie Cheremeteff Abernethy. They have two children, Aleksandra and Hale. Jones speaks Spanish, Russian and some Polish.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ "New U.S. ambassador to further strengthen ties". The Star (Malaysia). 2010-09-14.
  3. 1 2
  4. ↑ U.S. Naval War College, Alumni Affairs
  5. ↑ AllGov Ambassador To Malaysia: Who is Paul W. Jones
  6. 1 2 3 4 U.S. Department of State, Biography: Paul W. Jones
  7. ↑ Ambassadorial Nomination Statement: Paul W. Jones, Ambassador-Designate to Malaysia July 21, 2010
  8. ↑ Embassy of the United States in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Ambassador Jones Presents Credentials to the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong
  9. ↑ "Clinton for historical visit to Malaysia". The Star (Malaysia). 2010-10-31.
  10. ↑ "Gates next US leader to visit Malaysia". The Star (Malaysia). 2010-11-04.
  11. ↑
  12. ↑ https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/06/08/president-obama-announces-more-key-administration-posts
  13. ↑
  14. ↑
  15. ↑ White Family Papers 1831-1967
  16. ↑ Notable Names Database, Brandon Grove
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Political offices
Preceded by
James Keith		 United States Ambassador to Malaysia
2010–2013 		Succeeded by
Joseph Yun
Preceded by
Stephen Mull		 United States Ambassador to Poland
2015–present 		Incumbent
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