Benson Whitney

Benson Kelley Whitney ( born August 17, 1956 in Saint Paul, Minnesota) is an American diplomat. He was from 2006 to 2009 the United States ambassador in Norway.

Life

Benson Whitney received a bachelor 's degree ( magna cum laude) from Vassar College and a JD from the Law School of the University of Minnesota. During his law degree, he was among the top ten percent of his class. After graduation, he was a lawyer in Minneapolis, specializing in health care, cable television, and suffrage, then worked as a partner for the Gideon Hixon Fund, then as President of the Minnesota Venture Capital Association, an umbrella organization of the venture capital industry. He became involved, among other things, for the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, the organization Wilderness Inquiry, the Persephone Fund, the Head Water Fund and the Republican advocacy group Minnesotans for Term Limits. In the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis erLiturgical was minister.

Benson Whitney is married and has one daughter and three sons.

Political commitment

In the election to the U.S. Senate in 2002, he was campaign manager of the candidate of the Republican Party, the then mayor of Saint Paul, Norm Coleman, who won this election against Walter Mondale. In the presidential elections in the United States in 2004 was Whitney Benson 's campaign manager in Minnesota for the re-election of George W. Bush.

Diplomatic career

On 23 September 2005 was nominated for the U.S. ambassador to Oslo Benson Whitney George W. Bush. The U.S. Senate confirmed this proposal on 28 October 2005. On 28 November 2005 Whitney was sworn in by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and took office as the successor of John D. Ong on 12 January 2006. Whitney was ambassador to June 20, 2009. Succeeded by Barry B. White. Benson Whitney was awarded the Grand Cross of the Norwegian Order of Merit on June 9, 2009. After the service end Whitney moved to Washington, DC