Gregory J. Newell

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Gregory John Newell (born August 30, 1949 in Geneseo, Illinois) currently works as an international business strategist as President of International Commerce Development Corporation (1993-present).

Newell is a former United States Ambassador to Sweden (1985-1989) and a U.S. Assistant Secretary of State (1982-1985). Previously, he served in the White House as a Special Assistant to the President and Director of Presidential Appointments under Ronald Reagan in 1981-1982. Before this he was a Staff Assistant to the President under Gerald Ford.

He began his political career as a conservative Republican working for President Richard Nixon (1972-1973). Between White House assignments Newell worked for U.S. Senator Bob Dole (R-KS) and Pennsylvania's Republican Governor Richard Thornburgh.

Newell was raised in Illinois, Iowa, and California. He received his Political Science and International Relations degree from Brigham Young University. As a 19-21 year-old he served a 2 1/2 year mission in France and Belgium for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He married Candilyn Jones Newell in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1978. They have 6 children and currently reside in Provo, Utah.

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[edit] Political Positions

U.S. Ambassador to Sweden, December 1985-June 1989 (Preceded by Franklin S. Forsberg, Succeeded by Charles Edgar Redman); U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs (Preceded by Elliott Abrams, Succeeded by Alan L. Keyes)

[edit] Criticism

When Newell was nominated to the ambassadorship to Sweden, Democratic Senator Joseph Biden expressed reservations over the choice of the nominee with the following words: "I find it difficult to be sending an ambassador to Sweden who doesn't know how many countries are in NATO." Despite this statement, Newell's nomination was favorably reported out of the Committee on Foreign Relations onto the floor of the U.S. Senate where there was "unanimous consent that the President be immediately notified that the Senate has given its consent to this nomination."

[edit] General Information

Born: August 30, 1949; Nationality: American; Political Party: Republican; Occupation: President of ICDC (International Commerce Development Corporation); Spouse: Candilyn Newell; Family: Sam Palmer, Pam Palmer, William and Joan Crider; Children: 6; Alma Mater: Brigham Young University; Religion: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon); Residence: Provo, Utah USA;

[edit] Sources

Presidential Appointments and Nominations, 3/12/1985; Department of States "Appointment of Gregory J. Newell" No. 184, 6/4/1982; "Ronald Reagan's Foreign Service" Jai Bird, 1984; Presidential Appointments and Nominations, 10/8/1985; Presidential Documents, 10/14/1985, Volume 21, Number 41; Committee on Foreign Relations United States Senate Nomination Hearing, 11/21/1985; Congressional Record Senate, S-17126, 12/6/1985;