President Barack Obama Succeeded by Philip Goldberg Succeeding David Wharton Preceded by Kristie Kenney Party Democratic Party | President Barack Obama Name Harry Thomas, Preceded by David Wharton President George W. Bush | |
 | ||
Education Columbia University, College of the Holy Cross | ||
Ambassador harry k thomas jr s video message to filipinos
Harry Keels Thomas Jr. (born June 3, 1956 in the Harlem section of New York City) is an American diplomat and current United States Ambassador to Zimbabwe. He served as the United States Ambassador to the Philippines from 2010 to 2013. A former United States Ambassador to Bangladesh (serving from 2003 to 2005) and Director General of the United States Foreign Service (serving from 2007 to 2009), Thomas was designated by US President Barack Obama on November 19, 2009 to replace Kristie Kenney as Ambassador to the Philippines—the first African American to serve at that post. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 19, 2010 and presented his credentials to Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on April 27, 2010 He was then nominated and confirmed as the United States Ambassador to Zimbabwe on October 22, 2015. He was sworn in on December 8, 2015.
Contents
Life
Thomas joined the Foreign Service in 1984. In addition to his tenures as Ambassador to Bangladesh and the Philippines, his earlier postings included service in the US embassies in New Delhi, India; Harare, Zimbabwe; Kaduna, Nigeria; and Lima, Peru. He also served as Executive Secretary of the United States Department of State, Director General of the U.S. Foreign Service, Director of the State Department Operations Center, and Special Assistant to the then-U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Education
Thomas is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and earned his Master's of Science in Urban Planning at Columbia University. He also has an honorary doctorate from Loyola University Maryland, where he delivered the commencement address in May 2010.
Controversy
In September 2011 Thomas sparked outrage – while in post as Ambassador to the Philippines – by making the remark that "40% of male tourists to the Philippines go there for sex tourism", without publicly presenting evidence for this remark. He subsequently made a public apology to the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines.
Foreign languages
Thomas speaks Spanish, Hindi, Tagalog, and Bengali.
Family
Thomas has one daughter, Casey Merie.
