Contact: Dulcie Leimbach
Media and Communications
212-907-1390
dleimbach@unausa.org

March 17, 2010 --The United Nations Association of the United States of America announces the appointment of A. Edward Elmendorf as its new president. He succeeds Thomas J. Miller.

The United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) is pleased to announce that A. Edward Elmendorf became the new president of the organization as of March 16, 2010. Elmendorf brings 40 years of experience to the post as an international and national civil servant.

Elmendorf started his international career in the US Foreign Service at the US Mission to the UN under Adlai Stevenson, and has been deeply engaged with international institutions ever since. After working at the US Mission, he went on to become a staff member at the United Nations and followed that with a 30-year career at the World Bank.

Most recently, Elmendorf served four years as the president of the largest local chapter of UNA-USA, the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area, (UNA-NCA). He was elected in June 2009 by UNA-USA members as chair of the UNA-USA Council of Chapters and Divisions (CCD).

“I believe the leadership that Ed has shown over the years to UNA’s chapters and divisions speaks for itself,” said Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering, co-chairman of UNA-USA. “His commitment to UNA-USA’s mission is clear, and we are most pleased that he has accepted this vital position.”

Tom Miller, UNA-USA’s outgoing president, concurred, saying: “I couldn’t be more pleased with the selection of Ed Elmendorf. Having led one of our most active chapters, Ed knows the organization intimately. Ed will be a superb president. UNA-USA will be in excellent hands.”

Elmendorf’s long career at the World Bank, where he started in 1970, focused primarily on policy planning, loan programming and negotiation with North African countries. He was also involved in personnel management, country assistance strategy, lending and macroeconomic policy in Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan as well as in Indian Ocean countries.

In addition, Elmendorf has worked and written on health strategy and policy, largely in Africa, for the World Bank and other organizations and was a co-author of the book “Better Health in Africa,” published by the World Bank in 1994.

Since retiring in 2000, Elmendorf has taught at Johns Hopkins University and consulted for the World Bank, WHO, UNDP and the US Institute of Medicine. He has been an officer or a board member of UNA-NCA for about 15 years, with responsibilities for strategic planning, development, the Advisory Council and programs. He graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in German literature from Yale University; a master’s degree in economics from George Washington University; and a master’s in public health from Johns Hopkins University. Elmendorf is married with three children and as of last week he became a grandfather for the fifth time.

“In my view, UNA’s mission is more important than ever,” Elmendorf said. “The Obama administration has made a promising start and given new life to US-UN relations. I look forward to the opportunity to continue to serve UNA-USA from the national office and working with chapter leaders and UNA-USA members around the country, informing Americans about the vital role the UN plays in achieving international cooperation and advancing US foreign policy objectives.”

The search for a new president began early this year, when Tom Miller announced he was leaving UNA-USA. His career includes a long and distinguished span in the Foreign Service, including ambassadorships to Greece and to Bosnia-Herzegovina as well as a Cyprus negotiator.

“Tom has added greatly to UNA’s dynamism and steadily steered the ship during challenging economic times,” said William J. McDonough, co-chairman of UNA-USA. “Tom has achieved so much for UNA in so little time. The board wishes to express its appreciation for his hard work and leadership.”

The United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to building understanding of and support for the ideals and work of the UN among the American people. Its education, policy and advocacy programs emphasize the importance of cooperation among nations and the need for American leadership at the UN. UNA-USA is affiliated with the World Federation of United Nations Associations, which began in 1946 as a public movement for the UN.

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For more information on this press release, please contact Ayca Ariyoruk at 212-907-1360; aariyoruk@unausa.org