FOREIGN AFFAIRS RETIREES OF NEW ENGLAND
- Friday, May 31, 2013
Annual Spring Luncheon, Mount Washington Hotel, Bretton Woods, NH
The Foreign Affairs Retirees of New England (FARNE) will hold its annual spring luncheon meeting on Friday, May 31, 2013 at the Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, NH. The speaker will be the Honorable Chas W. Freeman, Jr. He will talk on "China, America, and the Shifting Balance of Prestige". Foreign affairs agency retirees are cordially invited to attend. For reservations and directions, please contact FARNE Corresponding Secretary Liz Barnett, barnett1895@hotmail.com or phone her at 617-232-4241
FOREIGN AFFAIRS RETIREE OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA (FARNOVA)
Our speaker for the April 24 luncheon will be Mr Frank Gaffney, whose topic will be Sharia Law. Mr. Gaffney began his public service career in the 1970s, working as an aide in the office of Democratic Senator Henry M. Jackson, under Richard Perle. From August 1983 until November 1987, Gaffney held the position of Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Forces and Arms Control Policy in the Reagan Administration, again serving under Mr. Perle. In April 1987, Gaffney was nominated to the position of US Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy. He served as the acting Assistant Secretary for seven months,[3] though his confirmation was ultimately blocked by the United States Senate. In 1988, Gaffney established the Center for Security Policy (CSP), a conservative national security and defense policy organization.
The luncheon will be held at the Ft Myer Officers’ Club, The Lamplighter Room, at 12:00 on April 24th. The cost will be $25.
FOREIGN SERVICE RETIREES ASSOCIATION OF FLORIDA
- Saturday, May 18, 2013 at Noon
Luncheon – Seven Springs Gulf and Country Club, New Port Richey
Walter S. Clarke will speak on “The Horn of Africa: A Troubled but Critical Political and Economic World Intersection.” Mr. Clarke, a retired FSO, served as charge d’affaires in Djibouti 1977-1980 and in 1993 as deputy head of the U.S. Liaison Office in Mogadishu, among other assignments. All are welcome. For more info contact Chair T. Dennis Reece at sutterreece@verizon.net or 813-971-5195 by May 9.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE GROUP - CENTRAL TEXAS
All TFSG luncheons are on the second Tuesday of even-numbered months.
- Tuesday, June 11, 2013 at 11:20 AM
Chez Zee Restaurant
5406 Balcones Drive, Austin
The speaker: Ambassador James F. Creagan - Director of the Center for International Studies, Ambassador in Residence, Amy Freeman Lee Chair of Humanities, University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio
"Foreign Policy and Domestic Politics: A Look at U.S. Relations with the Holy See, Israel, and Mexico"
June Menu:
Carrot-Ginger Soup
Choice of
- Bacon, Tomato, and Cheddar Cheese Quiche with a side salad
Or
-Grilled Chicken Mediterranean Plate (grilled chicken, traditional hummus, mixed greens with lemon vinaigrette, grilled pita bread)
Vegetarian option
-Grilled Portabella Mediterranean Plate (grilled portabella mushroom, traditional hummus, mixed greens with lemon vinaigrette, grilled pita bread)
Dessert: assorted Cake Bites
Coffee, Iced Tea
RSVP: Please confirm your attendance and menu choice by noon on Wednesday, April 3
- By mail to TFSG, P.O. Box 50246, Austin, TX 78763-0246 or
- By e-mail to jmclean@computermoms.com or
- By phone to John at 512.797.0538
Via mail with a check is our preferred method. In all cases, please include a phone number so we can confirm receipt of your reservation. All RSVPs will be confirmed. If you do not get a confirmation, please contact us.
Lunch begins at noon. Members $24. Guests of members $30. No new reservations after 12 noon on Wednesday, June 5. No-shows or cancellations after this date will be billed for their lunch. Checks may be made out to TFSG and mailed to P.O. Box 50246, Austin, TX 78763-0246. Checks mailed in advance are greatly appreciated.
Memberships are $30 for three years or $12 per year.
About the Speaker
Ambassador Creagan is the Director of the Center for International Studies, Ambassador in Residence, and the current holder of the Amy Freeman Lee Chair of Humanities at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. James F. Creagan was a career diplomat for over thirty years and both a university professor and president. In the summer of 2009, Ambassador Creagan served as the United States Chargé d’Affaires to Bolivia and Chief of Mission at the American Embassy, La Paz, where he commanded a mission of over 500 people. In November 2009, he acted as an International Observer for the controversial presidential elections in Honduras.
Upon retirement from the United States Foreign Service in 1999, Ambassador Creagan became president of John Cabot University in Rome, Italy. Under Ambassador Creagan's administration, John Cabot University more than doubled its enrollment. It achieved American accreditation in 2003. Ambassador Creagan retired in August 2005 and was appointed university President Emeritus. He accepted a position as Guest Scholar at the University of Notre Dame, where he lectured on diplomatic and foreign policy issues. In January 2006, Ambassador Creagan joined the University of the Incarnate Word as professor and Ambassador in Residence.
Mr. Creagan served his country under eight presidents beginning at the Agency for International Development under President Kennedy and was then appointed to the Foreign Service under President Lyndon B. Johnson. During a diplomatic career spanning three decades, he was Chargé d’Affaires and Deputy Ambassador to Italy from 1993-1996 and Deputy Chief of Mission of the American Embassy to the Holy See in the late 1980s. Creagan was the U.S. Consul General in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in the early 1990s and the Political Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia in the mid-1980s. Other assignments included U.S. Consul in Naples, Italy, and the Political Counselor of the American Embassy in Lisbon, as well as political/labor officer in U.S. Embassies in Lima, Mexico City, San Salvador, and Rome.
Mr. Creagan was named U.S. Ambassador to Honduras by President Clinton in 1996. Focusing on issues of development, economic growth and trade - and the strengthening of democracy, Ambassador Creagan turned all the efforts of his Embassy and U.S. government agencies to rescue, rehabilitation, and recovery following the devastating Hurricane Mitch of 1998.
Ambassador Creagan was awarded the highest honor of the Republic of Honduras for his efforts and those of the U.S. Government to save lives and rebuild the country. He was declared an honorary Honduran citizen. The Ambassador received as well the Boston Archdiocese Caritas Christi Award for Humanitarian Service. The Holy See awarded him the title of Cavalier of the Order of St. Gregory for his special diplomatic service in U.S./Vatican relations. Italy’s president conferred on him the Italian Order of Merit for strengthening U.S.-Italian relations. Ambassador Creagan has been the recipient of numerous governmental service awards, including the Department of State Superior Honor Award for Distinguished Service and the Deputy Chief of Mission Award for Top Management and Policy Execution.
Ambassador Creagan is a member of the Cosmos Club of Washington, D.C., and several professional organizations. He was honorary president of the American Chambers of Commerce in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Honduras and Vice President of Brazil’s American Society. He serves on the Board of the San Antonio World Affairs Council, the Latin American Advisory Council of the University of Notre Dame, and the Association of International Practical Training (AIPT). He is a Trustee of Hiram College, Ohio.
Ambassador Creagan was born in Elyria, Ohio, and is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame. He holds a Ph. D. from the University of Virginia and has been a professor of political science at Texas A&M and St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas. Ambassador Creagan speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian and is listed in Who’s Who in America and the World. He is married to Gwyn Jonsson Creagan and they have two sons, Kevin and Sean.
Directions to Chez Zee Restaurant:
From the West
Drive east on 2222. Turn right at Balcones Drive, then right into the Chez Zee parking lot.
From the North
Drive south on Mopac (Loop 1) and exit at “Northland/2222.” Turn right at the 2222 light and move into the left lane. Turn left at the first light, Balcones Drive, then immediately move into the right lane. Chez Zee is the second driveway on the right.
From the East
Drive west on Northland Drive/2222. Just before going under the Mopac overpass, move into the left lane. Turn left at the first light, Balcones Drive, then immediately move into the right lane. Chez Zee is the second driveway on the right.
From the South
Drive north on Mo-Pac (Loop 1). Move right to take the “Northland/2222” exit, staying in the left lane of the exit. Turn left (west) into the middle lane of Northland/2222. Just before going under the Mopac overpass, move into the left lane. Turn left at the first light, Balcones Drive, then immediately move into the right lane. Chez Zee is the second driveway on the right.
There are often hidden parking spaces BEHIND the restaurant. If you do not see an empty spot, turn left in the parking lot to find them.
Special Invitation
TFSG members and guests are invited to the Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Austin’s production of “Princess Ida” on opening night, Friday, June 14. The special advance ticket price of $17 includes the opening night gala reception with the cast after the show. Only 30 tickets are available at this special price. TFSG members can include the price of their ticket(s) in their check for the June luncheon and send it in before June 6. “Princess Ida” is a comic opera set to music.
Other Upcoming 2013 Luncheons:
All TFSG luncheons are on the second Tuesday of even-numbered months.
- August 13 (at Chez Zee)
- October 8 (at Le Cordon Bleu, College of Culinary Arts)
- December 10 and 12 (annual Fun Festival Luncheon, at Marie Callender’s)
Suggestions for other restaurants are always welcome.
Announcements:
We welcome suggestions for speakers. When you nominate someone, please add biographical information and suggestions on how best to approach him or her.
If you know of potential members, please email them our website address, WWW.TFSG.ORG. Then call and invite them as your guest to our next luncheon.
Please browse through the website regularly yourself. Corrections and additions are always welcome. In particular, we want to keep our EISs (Enhanced Information Sheets) up to date. As new speakers and their subjects are listed, please send your suggestions for EIS information to rmae10@aol.com.
John S. Wood, President, jswood98@hotmail.com
Joe McLean, Treasurer, jmclean@computermoms.com
Danny Root, Secretary, roadrunr2@usa.net
Florita Sheppard, Transportation Coordinator, sheppard-samario@sbcglobal.net
Mae Scheib, EIS Coordinator, rmae10@aol.com
Doris Scott, Care Coordinator, dscott007@austin.rr.com
THE FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
No announcements at this time.