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November 18, 2003

 

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President Bush Nominates James Oberwetter to Serve as the New Ambassador to Saudi Arabia

 

 

President George W. Bush today announced his intention to nominate James Curtis Oberwetter, of Texas, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Currently, Mr. Oberwetter serves as Vice President of Governmental and Political Affairs for Hunt Consolidated, Inc. 

As senior Vice President of Governmental and Public Affairs, Oberwetter’s activities include corporate, government and media relations. He works closely with the senior management of Hunt Oil Company on international and domestic matters.

Prior to joining Hunt 28 years ago, Oberwetter served at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency after serving as Press Secretary to then Houston Congressman George H.W. Bush. When Bush was elected to the Presidency, Oberwetter then worked as a member of the transition team in Washington, D.C.

He is past chairman and currently serves as a member of the general committee on communications of the American Petroleum Institute. He has held many volunteer and advisory positions for a variety of bond elections and for numerous public officials. He served as Governor Bush’s appointee as chairman of the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. In addition to serving as a member of the Dallas Chamber of Commerce state government affairs committee, Oberwetter is a member of the executive committee of the board of directors of the Dallas Metropolitan YMCA. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin.

Sources:  Whitehouse and Hunt Ventures, L.P.

 

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Bush to nominate oil lobbyist as new ambassador to Saudi Arabia
WASHINGTON : US President George W. Bush has selected a prominent Texas oil industry lobbyist with close ties to the Bush family to become the new US ambassador to Saudi Arabia, the White House announced.  The nominee, James Oberwetter, currently serves as senior vice president of governmental and political affairs for Hunt Oil Company and is also a member of the general committee on communications of the American Petroleum Institute (API), the main oil industry lobby in Washington.  

Bush Picks Oil man as Saudi Ambassador
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush has picked Texas oil lobbyist James Oberwetter to be U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, the White House said on Monday.  The intention to nominate Oberwetter comes as a battle against terrorism is gaining importance in U.S. relations with the Arab petroleum giant and Bush is urging Saudi Arabia to implement democratic reforms.  

Dallas businessman appointed ambassador
Dallas businessman Jim Oberwetter, a former chairman of the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, has been nominated by President Bush to become the next U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia.  A vice president of Hunt Oil Co. and a former press spokesman for Bush's father, Oberwetter is expected to replace Bob Jordan, who became the U.S. ambassador in Saudi Arabia a month after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City, Washington and Pennsylvania.  

Bush nominates old friend to be ambassador to Saudi Arabia
(KRT) - Turning again to his stable of Dallas friends, President Bush nominated Hunt Oil Co. executive Jim Oberwetter on Monday as ambassador to Saudi Arabia.  Although Oberwetter has no diplomatic experience, foreign policy veterans and supporters in Dallas said he would make a good choice, in part because the Saudis - a key allies in a tumultuous region - put a premium on emissaries who have the president's ear.  

Hunt Oil official nominated for Saudi Arabia ambassador
President Bush has nominated Jim Oberwetter, an executive for Dallas-based Hunt Oil Co., to be U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, the White House announced Monday.
  Oberwetter, 59, is senior vice president for governmental and public affairs for Hunt Oil Co., an independent exploration and production company started by legendary Texas wildcatter H.L. Hunt.  

 

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