George Edward Glass
GCIH
United States Ambassador to Portugal
In office
August 30, 2017 – January 13, 2021
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byRobert A. Sherman
Succeeded byKristin M. Kane, Chargé d’Affaires
Personal details
BornEugene, Oregon, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseMary Glass
Children3
EducationUniversity of Oregon
OccupationBusinessman

George Edward Glass GCIH is an American businessman and former diplomat. He served as the Ambassador of the United States to the Portuguese Republic from 2017 to 2021.

Early life

George Glass was born in Eugene, Oregon and attended South Eugene High School. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Oregon[1][2] Glass served as Alumni President at the University of Oregon.

Business career

George Glass was the Founder, President, and Vice Chairman of Pacific Crest Securities, a technology focused investment bank in Portland, OR, from 1990 to 2014. After Pacific Crest Securities was purchased by KeyBank, he founded the real estate development firm MGG Development LCC.  Glass has also served as a trustee for the Oregon Health Sciences University and for the University of Oregon.

Ambassador to Portugal

In 2017, George Glass was nominated by President Donald Trump[3] to become Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Portugal. The United States Senate confirmed his nomination[4] on August 3, 2017.[5] He presented his credentials to the President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, on August 25, 2017.[6]

During his tenure as Ambassador, Glass has sought to increase economic activity between the United States and Portugal,[7] including on agricultural and energy issues.

Glass has been vocal in criticizing Chinese investments in strategic sectors in Portugal. He has cast aspersions on a proposed takeover by China Three Gorges of the Portuguese energy company EDP.[8] He has also been outspoken about U.S. concerns about the role Huawei might play in future 5G networks in Portugal and elsewhere.[9] In September 2020, in an interview to Expresso about the new 5G technology, Glass stressed that Portugal choose "between its friends and allies and China", hinting at consequences in defense partnerships if Portugal chose to work with China, and further threatened to end the distribution of natural gas through the Port of Sines if the construction of the new terminal were to be delivered to China.[10][11] An editorial in Público referred to the threat as a diktat and an ultimatum;[12] Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva reacted to these remarks by asserting that "in Portugal, the decision-makers are the Portuguese authorities, who decide which are Portugal's interests, within the framework of the Constitution and Portuguese law,"[13] and a similar message underscoring national autonomy was issued by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.[14]

In March 2020, he wrote an op-ed in Público about disinformation and the COVID-19 pandemic, in which he accused China of launching a propaganda campaign to try and shift the responsibility of the pandemic to the United States.[15]  

Glass and his wife, Mary, have also been active in supporting Portuguese communities recovering from wildfires and in reforestation. In October 2017, George and Mary visited communities affected by the wildfires of that year in the district of Viseu. In October 2019, they founded the U.S-Portugal Friendship Forest near Leiria[16] and hosted the signing of a sister-park initiative between North Cascades National Park and the Portuguese Peneda-Gerês National Park.[17]

In September 2019, Glass had named the Ambassador's Residence in Lisbon after former Ambassador and Secretary of Defense Frank Carlucci, who served as Ambassador to Portugal from 1975 to 1978.[18]  

On November 14, 2019, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo presented Glass with the Sue Cobb Award for Exemplary Diplomatic Service.[19]

Glass left his post on January 13, 2021.[20] Shortly before he left the post, he was awarded the Order of Prince Henry the Navigator by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, during a ceremony at Belém Palace.[21][22]

Honors

References

  1. ↑ "Press Release: President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to Key Administration Posts". The American Presidency Project. June 19, 2017. Retrieved 2021-10-29.
  2. ↑ "Named: George E. Glass as U.S. Ambassador to Portugal – Washington, DC". Portuguese American Journal. June 27, 2017. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Trump selects Oregon businessman to be Ambassador to Portugal". Público Online. June 20, 2017. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  4. ↑ Dallison, Phil (August 3, 2017). "U.S. Senate confirms Trump's Ambassador pick to Portugal". Politico. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  5. ↑ "PN676 — George Edward Glass — Department of State". U.S. Congress. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  6. ↑ "George Glass: Trump's nominee as Ambassador, arrives to Portugal. Now what?". Jornal i. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Speech: American Chamber of Commerce Tribute Dinner". US Embassy & Consulatein Portugal. 2017-09-29. Retrieved 2021-10-29.
  8. ↑ "U.S. Ambassador is 'absolutely' against Chinese's' OPA to EDP". Público. 15 March 2019. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  9. ↑ "5G. Acordo entre Portugal e Huawei pode afetar relação com os EUA" [5G agreement between Portugal and Huawei may affect its relationship with U.S.]. Observador. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  10. ↑ Matos, Vítor (25 September 2020). "EUA pressionam Governo: "Portugal tem de escolher agora entre os aliados e os chineses"" [USA pressure Government: “Portugal has to choose now between its allies and the Chinese”]. Expresso (in Portuguese). Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  11. ↑ "Embaixador dos EUA avisa: Portugal tem de escolher entre EUA e China" [USA Ambassador warns: Portugal has to choose between the USA and China]. Público (in Portuguese). 26 September 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  12. ↑ Carvalho, Manuel (26 September 2020). "Portugal não é um quintal das traseiras de Washington" [Portugal is not Washington's backyard]. Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  13. ↑ "Santos Silva responde a embaixador dos EUA: "Quem toma as decisões é Portugal"" [Santos Silva replies USA Ambassador: “Who makes the decisions is Portugal”]. Público (in Portuguese). 26 September 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  14. ↑ "Marcelo responde a embaixador dos EUA: "Quem decide são os representantes dos portugueses"" [Marcelo replies to USA Ambassador: “Who makes the decisions are the representatives of the Portuguese”]. Público (in Portuguese). 26 September 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  15. ↑ "We must unite to combat this sickness – and the lies as well". Publico. 26 March 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  16. ↑ "U.S. Embassy reforestation efforts, 10 thousand trees to be planted in Pinhal de Leiria". Público. 30 October 2019. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  17. ↑ "United States help in the preservation of some species in Peneda-Gerês National Park". O Minho. 25 October 2019. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Carlucci, is the name of the U.S. Ambassador's official residence in Lapa". Público. 10 September 2019. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  19. ↑ "New York Portuguese". Facebook. November 14, 2019. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  20. ↑ @@USAmbPortugal (January 13, 2021). "It has been a privilege serving as Ambassador of the United States to Portugal and promoting #USPT #SideBySide relations. You can continue to keep up with the Embassy at @USEmbPortugal !" (Tweet). Retrieved January 19, 2021 – via Twitter.
  21. ↑ @@USAmbPortugal (December 23, 2020). "Thank you President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa for the incredible honor bestowed upon me: Portuguese knighthood into the Ordem do Infante D. Henrique. I'm grateful and humbled. It has been a tremendous privilege to work with you, the Portuguese Government and the People of Portugal" (Tweet). Retrieved June 30, 2021 – via Twitter.
  22. 1 2 "Entidades Estrangeiras Agraciadas com Ordens Portuguesas". Página Oficial das Ordens Honoríficas Portuguesas. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
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