This is a list of Ambassadors of the United States to Finland.
Until 1917 Finland had been a subject of Russia as the Grand Duchy of Finland. As a result of the Bolshevist October Revolution in Russia, Finland declared its independence on December 6, 1917. On December 22 (January 4, 1918 N. S.), the highest Soviet executive body approved a decree recognizing Finland’s independence.
The United States recognized Finland as an independent state on May 7, 1919. A U.S. legation was established in Helsinki and the first envoy, Alexander R. Magruder, presented his credentials as Chargé d'Affaires to the government of Finland on March 19, 1920. United States–Finland relations have been continuous since that time except for a brief period in 1944–45 when the U.S. severed relations during World War II.
The U.S. Embassy in Finland is located in Helsinki in the Kaivopuisto neighborhood.
Alexander R. Magruder – Career FSO
Title: Chargé d'Affaires
Appointed: Not commissioned
Presented credentials: March 19, 1920
Terminated mission: Superseded by incoming ambassador February 17, 1922
Charles L. Kagey – Political appointee
Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Appointed: October 8, 1921
Presented credentials: February 17, 1922
Terminated mission: Left post March 24, 1925
John B. Stetson, Jr. – Political appointee
Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Appointed: May 7, 1925
Presented credentials: Did not present credentials, did not serve
Alfred J. Pearson – Political appointee
Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Appointed: June 23, 1925
Presented credentials: September 5, 1925
Terminated mission: Left post April 30, 1930
Edward E. Brodie – Political appointee
Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Appointed: January 31, 1930
Presented credentials: May 16, 1930
Terminated mission: Left post September 21, 1933
Edward Albright – Political appointee
Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Appointed: July 21, 1933
Presented credentials: October 5, 1933
Terminated mission: Left post April 12, 1937
H. F. Arthur Schoenfeld – Career FSO
Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Appointed: April 22, 1937
Presented credentials: July 2, 1937
Terminated mission: Left post December 17, 1942
Note: The United States severed diplomatic relations with Finland on June 30, 1944, as result of Finland’s war against the Soviet Union. At that time the Soviet Union was an ally of the United States. Edmund A. Gullion was serving as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim when the relations were severed.
Note: The United States reestablished diplomatic relations with Finland after World War II. The legation in Helsinki was reestablished September 1, 1945, with Benjamin M. Hulley as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.
Maxwell M. Hamilton – Career FSO
Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Appointed: September 25, 1945
Presented credentials: March 26, 1946
Terminated mission: Left post August 25, 1947
Avra M. Warren – Career FSO
Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Appointed: December 18, 1947
Presented credentials: February 10, 1948
Terminated mission: Left post February 18, 1950
John M. Cabot – Career FSO
Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Appointed: February 2, 1950
Presented credentials: February 27, 1950
Terminated mission: Left post September 20, 1952
Jack K. McFall – Career FSO
Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Appointed: September 10, 1952
Presented credentials: November 15, 1952
Terminated mission: Promoted to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary September 15, 1954 and continued to serve.
Note: The legation in Helsinki was raised to embassy status on September 10, 1954. Concurrently the post of Minister became that of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
Jack K. McFall – Career FSO
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: September 15, 1954
Presented credentials: September 17, 1954
Terminated mission: Left post September 19, 1955
John D. Hickerson – Career FSO
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: October 4, 1955
Presented credentials: November 23, 1955
Terminated mission: Left post November 3, 1959
Edson O. Sessions – Political appointee
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: October 20, 1959
Presented credentials: November 28, 1959
Terminated mission: Left post November 20, 1960
Bernard Gufler – Career FSO
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: February 24, 1961
Presented credentials: April 14, 1961
Terminated mission: Left post April 18, 1963
Carl T. Rowan – Political appointee
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: March 9, 1963
Presented credentials: May 21, 1963
Terminated mission: Left post February 8, 1964
Tyler Thompson – Career FSO
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: July 31, 1964
Presented credentials: August 25, 1964
Terminated mission: Left post June 14, 1969
Val Peterson – Political appointee
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: May 1, 1969
Presented credentials: July 14, 1969
Terminated mission: Left post March 23, 1973
V. John Krehbiel – Political appointee
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: March 27, 1973
Presented credentials: June 1, 1973
Terminated mission: Left post February 24, 1975
Mark Evans Austad – Political appointee
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: February 20, 1975
Presented credentials: March 20, 1975
Terminated mission: Left post April 14, 1977
Rozanne L. Ridgway – Career FSO
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: May 26, 1977
Presented credentials: August 5, 1977
Terminated mission: Left post February 20, 1980
James E. Goodby – Career FSO
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: March 18, 1980
Presented credentials: April 11, 1980
Terminated mission: Left post August 18, 1981
Keith Foote Nyborg – Political appointee
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: July 30, 1981
Presented credentials: September 18, 1981
Terminated mission: Left post February 17, 1986
Rockwell A. Schnabel – Political appointee
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: December 17, 1985
Presented credentials: February 28, 1986
Terminated mission: Left post February 24, 1989
John Giffen Weinmann – Political appointee
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: October 10, 1989
Presented credentials: November 10, 1989
Terminated mission: Left post August 29, 1991
John Hubert Kelly – Career FSO
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: December 2, 1991
Presented credentials: December 20, 1991
Terminated mission: Left post July 5, 1994
Derek Shearer – Political appointee
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: May 29, 1994
Presented credentials: July 1, 1994
Terminated mission: Left post October 31, 1997
Eric S. Edelman – Career FSO
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: June 29, 1998
Presented credentials: August 27, 1998
Terminated mission: Left post January 29, 2001
Bonnie McElveen-Hunter – Political appointee
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: November 5, 2001
Presented credentials: December 5, 2001
Terminated mission: Left post December 15, 2003
Earle I. Mack – Political appointee
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: May 25, 2004
Presented credentials: June 10, 2004
Terminated mission: Left post October 20, 2005
Marilyn Ware – Political appointee
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: February 7, 2006
Presented credentials: March 9, 2006
Terminated mission: March 28, 2008
Barbara Barrett – Political appointee
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: April 20, 2008
Presented credentials: c. May 2008
Terminated mission: Left post January 16, 2009
Michael ButlerTitle: Chargé d'Affaires
Took office: January 16, 2009
Presented credentials:
Terminated mission: TBD
Bruce J. Oreck – Political appointeeTitle: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: August 12, 2009
Presented credentials: September 10, 2009
Terminated mission: July 25, 2015
Charles C. Adams, Jr. – Political appointee
Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Appointed: June 24, 2015
Presented credentials: August 4, 2015
Terminated mission: Incumbent
