United States Ambassador to Finland

Ambassador of the United States to Finland

Seal of the United States Department of State
Incumbent
Charles C. Adams, Jr.
since August 4, 2015
Nominator Barack Obama
Inaugural holder Alexander R. Magruder
as Chargé d'Affaires
Formation March 19, 1920
Website U.S. Embassy - Helsinki

This is a list of Ambassadors of the United States to Finland.

Until 1917 Finland had been a subject of Russia as the Grand Duchy of Finland. As a result of the Bolshevist October Revolution in Russia, Finland declared its independence on December 6, 1917. On December 22 (January 4, 1918 N. S.), the highest Soviet executive body approved a decree recognizing Finland’s independence.

The United States recognized Finland as an independent state on May 7, 1919.[1][2] A U.S. legation was established in Helsinki and the first envoy, Alexander R. Magruder, presented his credentials as Chargé d'Affaires to the government of Finland on March 19, 1920. United States–Finland relations have been continuous since that time except for a brief period in 1944–45 when the U.S. severed relations during World War II.

The U.S. Embassy in Finland is located in Helsinki in the Kaivopuisto neighborhood.

Ambassadors

U.S. diplomatic terms

Career FSO
After 1915, The United States Department of State began classifying ambassadors as career Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) for those who have served in the Foreign Service for a specified amount of time.

Political appointee
A person who is not a career foreign service officer, but is appointed by the president (often as a reward to political friends).

Appointed
The date that the ambassador took the oath of office; also known as “commissioning”. It follows confirmation of a presidential appointment by the Senate, or a Congressional-recess appointment by the president. In the case of a recess appointment, the ambassador requires subsequent confirmation by the Senate.

Presented credentials
The date that the ambassador presented his letter of credence to the head of state or appropriate authority of the receiving nation. At this time the ambassador officially becomes the representative of his country. This would normally occur a short time after the ambassador’s arrival on station. The host nation may reject the ambassador by not receiving the ambassador’s letter, but this occurs only rarely.

Terminated mission
Usually the date that the ambassador left the country. In some cases a letter of recall is presented, ending the ambassador’s commission, either as a means of diplomatic protest or because the diplomat is being reassigned elsewhere and replaced by another envoy.

Chargé d'affaires
The person in charge of the business of the embassy when there is no ambassador commissioned to the host country. See chargé d'affaires.

Ad interim
Latin phrase meaning "for the time being", "in the meantime". See ad interim.
Ambassador John D. Hickerson with president Juho Kusti Paasikivi (left) and foreign minister Johannes Virolainen (right) in 1955

Note: The United States severed diplomatic relations with Finland on June 30, 1944, as result of Finland’s war against the Soviet Union. At that time the Soviet Union was an ally of the United States. Edmund A. Gullion was serving as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim when the relations were severed.

Note: The United States reestablished diplomatic relations with Finland after World War II. The legation in Helsinki was reestablished September 1, 1945, with Benjamin M. Hulley as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.

Note: The legation in Helsinki was raised to embassy status on September 10, 1954. Concurrently the post of Minister became that of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.

Tyler Thompson arrives in Finland in August 1964.

Notes

  1. ↑ "We Recognize Finland (clipping from The NY Times)" (PDF). The New York Times. May 8, 1919. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
  2. ↑ Country-Studies.com
  3. ↑ Magruder was the chargé d’affaires rather than the ambassador, and thus was not commissioned. His letter of credence was dated March 13, 1920.
  4. ↑ Stetson was commissioned during a recess of the Senate. He took oath of office, but did not proceed to the post.
  5. ↑ Pearson was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on December 17, 1925.
  6. ↑ Albright was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on January 15, 1934.
  7. ↑ McFall was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on May 1, 1953.
  8. ↑ McFall was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on December 3, 1954.
  9. ↑ Hickerson was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on January 25, 1956.
  10. ↑ Sessions was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on January 21, 1960.
  11. ↑ http://finland.usembassy.gov/ambassador_barrett.html
  12. ↑ http://finland.usembassy.gov/ambassador_oreck.html

See also

References

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