George James Tsunis

George James Tsunis (Greek: Γεώργιος Δημητρίου Τσούνης) (born December 26, 1967) is an American lawyer and businessman who is the current United States Ambassador to Greece. He was nominated by President Joe Biden to serve in the role on October 8, 2021, confirmed by the United States Senate on March 10, 2022, and began serving on May 10, 2022.

George James Tsunis
George Tsunis
United States Ambassador to Greece
Assumed office
May 10, 2022
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byGeoffrey R. Pyatt
Personal details
Born (1967-12-26) December 26, 1967
Queens, New York, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseOlga Tsunis
Children3
Alma materNew York University (BA)
St. John's University (JD)
OccupationCEO
WebsiteU.S. Embassy to Greece

He was previously a nominee to be the U.S. ambassador to Norway by President Barack Obama, although his nomination ultimately failed.

Biography

Tsunis was born 1967 in Queens, New York, and is the son of first-generation immigrants from Greece, James and Eleni Tsunis.[1][2] He graduated from Commack High School in Commack, New York in 1985.[3][4]

He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in classic studies at New York University in 1989, and a Juris Doctor from St. John's University School of Law in 1992.[5]

Tsunis was raised in the Greek Orthodox faith. On March 15, 2021, he was appointed co-vice chairman of the Greek Orthodox America Archdiocese’s National Coordinating Committee.[6] Also, he's been awarded the Saint Paul’s Medal, the Greek Orthodox Church of America’s highest recognition for a layperson.[7]

Tsunis speaks English and Greek.[8]

Career

As a practicing attorney, Tsunis was a partner at the law firm Rivkin Radler LLP.[5] He married Greek-American Olga J. Antzoulis in November 2004 and had his first child, James in 2007. They live in Lloyd Harbor, Long Island, with their three children.[5] He has two sisters.[1]

Nomination as U.S. ambassador to Norway

Tsunis was nominated as Ambassador to Norway on September 10, 2013.[9] His nomination was part of a backlog of nominees for ambassador positions across the world.[10][11] Norway had never been without a US ambassador for as long.[12]

Tsunis' nomination hearing generated controversy, both in Norway and in the USA, due to his confession of never having been to Norway, and his apparent ignorance of Norwegian political issues.[13][14][15] According to some sources, the U.S. Embassy apologized for some statements to the Norwegian government and other involved parties in Norway.[16]

In statements to the press in December 2014, Tsunis indicated that he was no longer seeking the nomination as ambassador to Norway.[17]

U.S. ambassador to Greece

Tsunis was nominated to be the next U.S. ambassador to Greece on October 8, 2021, by President Biden.[18] Hearings on his nomination were held before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on January 12, 2022. On March 8, 2022, the committee reported his nomination favorably to the Senate floor. Tsunis was officially confirmed by the entire Senate on March 10, 2022, via voice vote.[19]

Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, accepted his credentials on May 10, 2022 in Presidential Mansion, Athens.[20][21]

References
  1. "Testimony of George J. Tsunis, Ambassador-Designate to the Kingdom of Norway. Senate Foreign Relations Committee" (PDF). www.foreign.senate.gov/. United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. January 16, 2014. Retrieved November 1, 2014.
  2. "Biden Picks George Tsunis for New US Ambassador to Greece". GreekReporter.com. October 8, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
  3. "George James Tsunis - U.S., School Yearbooks, 1900-1999 - Ancestry.com". www.ancestry.com. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  4. Robinson, AuthorPam (April 13, 2022). "Town Board Salutes Resident Designated as Ambassador to Greece". Huntington Now | Huntington, NY Local News. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  5. Bewig, Matt (December 7, 2013). "Ambassador to Norway: Who Is George Tsunis?". www.allgov.com. Allgov.com. Retrieved November 1, 2014.
  6. "George Tsunis Appointed Co-Vice Chairman of the Archdiocese's National Coordinating Committee - From the Archdiocese - Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America". www.goarch.org. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  7. economia. "George Tsunis to be nominated next US ambassador to Greece". economia.gr. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  8. Newsroom. "White House plans to nominate George Tsunis as new US ambassador to Greece | eKathimerini.com". www.ekathimerini.com. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  9. "Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate". www.whitehouse.gov. Executive Office of the President of the United States. September 11, 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2014.
  10. "Senate Politics Leave 28 Countries With No U.S. Ambassador". www.defenseone.com/. Atlantic Media. June 29, 2014. Retrieved November 1, 2014.
  11. "Better Late Than Never: The Senate Finally Confirmed Some Ambassadors". blog.foreignpolicy.com/. Foreign Policy. September 19, 2014. Retrieved November 1, 2014.
  12. Gooding, George K (October 6, 2014). "Norge har aldri gått lenger uten en ambassador fra USA". www.amerikanskpolitikk.no/. Foreign Policy. Retrieved November 1, 2014.
  13. "Nomination Hearing January 16th 2014". www.foreign.senate.gov/. United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. January 16, 2014. Retrieved November 1, 2014.
  14. "New ambassador stumbles at the start". www.newsinenglish.no/. Nina’s News from Norway. January 23, 2014. Retrieved November 1, 2014.
  15. "The Would-Be Ambassador To Norway Who Has Never Been There Himself". www.npr.org/. NPR. June 17, 2014. Retrieved November 1, 2014.
  16. "US Embassy to Norway Apologizes for New Ambassador Candidate's Gaffe". www.tnp.no/. The Nordic Page. January 26, 2014. Retrieved November 1, 2014.
  17. Richter, Paul (December 13, 2014). "Obama donor George Tsunis ends his nomination as Norway ambassador". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 25, 2014.
  18. "President Biden Announces Key Nominations". The White House. October 8, 2021. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  19. "PN1255 — George J. Tsunis — Department of State 117th Congress (2021-2022)". US Congress. March 10, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  20. "Ambassador George James Tsunis presented his credentials to the President of the Hellenic Republic on May 10, 2022". U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Greece. May 10, 2022. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  21. Newsroom. "New US ambassador presents his credentials to the president | eKathimerini.com". www.ekathimerini.com. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
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