[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 34 (Tuesday, March 8, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E427-E428]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING AMBASSADOR TERENCE A. TODMAN

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. DONNA M. CHRISTENSEN

                           of virgin islands

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 8, 2011

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to an 
outstanding leader from my congressional district in the U.S. Virgin 
Islands, the Honorable Terence A. Todman, a Career Ambassador who 
served our country across the globe for almost 50 years.
  On Saturday, March 12, 2011, my community will honor Career 
Ambassador Todman on the occasion of his 85th birthday. A native son, 
he began his distinguished career with service in the U.S. Army from 
1945 to 1949, including a tour as a Commissioned Officer in Japan. He 
went on to diplomatic service as a Desk Officer for India-Ceylon-Nepal 
Affairs in 1952 and as a U.S. Government Intern on the United Nations 
Secretariat in 1954. From 1954 to 1957, he served as an Advisor to U.S. 
Delegations to the United Nations General Assembly and U.S. 
Representative on various Trusteeship Council committees. He ended the 
decade of the 1950s as a Political Officer in New Delhi from 1957 to 
1959.
  Career Ambassador Todman, who is fluent in many languages, served as 
the Arabic Language and Area Specialist in Beirut from 1960 to 1961. 
From 1961 to 1964, he served as the Political Officer in Tunis, from 
1965 to 1968 as the Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge d'Affaires in 
Togo and as the Country Director for East African Affairs from 1961 to 
1969.
  Mr. Speaker, as United States Ambassador, Terrence Todman served in 
Chad from 1969 to 1972, in Guinea from 1972 to 1975, in Costa Rica from 
1957 to 1971, in Spain from 1978 to 1983, in Denmark from 1983 to 1989, 
and finally in Argentina from 1989 to 1993.
  Although retired since 1993, Ambassador Todman has remained active 
serving on corporate and community boards from Argentina to the U.S. 
Virgin Islands. I recall that during one of Haiti's many crises and 
during the Aristide presidency, he was called back into service to 
share his expertise and experience as a special advisor to the 
Organization of American states. His recent focus has been on 
establishing joint ventures between U.S. and foreign companies with 
special emphasis on transportation and the environment. He is one of 
the Directors of the American Academy on Diplomacy, the Association for 
Diplomatic Studies and Training, the Constituency for Africa and the 
Atlantic Council of the United States. He is a Fellow of the National 
Academy of Public Administration and a member of its International 
Panel and many other organizations in the diplomatic field.
  He serves on the board of Syracuse University, the Duke University 
Provost Advisory Council and the Advisory Board of the African Studies 
Program at Georgetown University.
  Ambassador Todman has received the Presidential Distinguished Service 
Award, the National Public Service Award, the Department of State's 
Superior Service Honor Award and the Secretary of State's Distinguished 
Service Award. He has been decorated by the governments of Argentina, 
Denmark, Spain, Chad and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In 1997, he received 
the U.S. Department of State's Director General's Cup.
  Mr. Speaker, as an ambassador extraordinaire who is credited with 
guiding our country through some difficult relationships and 
challenges, Ambassador Todman paved the way for other people of color 
to excel at and eventually lead the U.S. State Department. He is a 
trailblazer, and has opened many doors for young people who aspire to 
his level of excellence and dedication to country.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands, I 
wish Ambassador Todman a very happy 85th birthday and I extend my best 
wishes to his wife Doris and their 4 children, Terence, Patricia, 
Kathryn and Michael and his wider circle of family and friends. May God 
continue to bless him with good health and long life and on behalf of 
the Congress of the United States, thank him for his long, dedicated 
and distinguished service to our country.

[[Page E428]]



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