Alan Philip Larson (born July 19, 1949) is a diplomat and a former United States Ambassador to the

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD; , OCDE) is an international organization, intergovernmental organization with 38 member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and international trade, wor ...

(OECD) in 1990–93. From 1996 to 1999, he served as U.S. Department of State Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs. In 1999 to 2005, he also served as US Undersecretary of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs, OECD. He is a United States Career Ambassador, and a recipient of the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Award. Larson currently serves as the Senior International Policy Advisor for

Covington & Burling Covington & Burling LLP is an American multinational law firm. Known as a white-shoe law firm, it is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and advises clients on transactional, litigation, regulatory, and public policy matters. The firm has addition ...

Personal life

Larson was born in Osage, Iowa, and later lived in

Webster City, Iowa Webster City is a city in Hamilton County, Iowa, Hamilton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,717 at th2023 census It is the county seat of Hamilton County. Webster City is known as 'Boone River Country', as the Boone River meanders ...

Iowa City, Iowa Iowa City is the largest city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. At the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the population was 74,828, making it the state's List of cities in Iowa, fifth-most populous c ...

, and

Reston, Virginia Reston is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, and a principal city of both Northern Virginia and the Washington metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, Reston's population was 63,226. Founded in 1964, Rest ...

."PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES AMBASSADOR ALAN P. LARSON UNDER SECRETARY OF ECONOMIC, BUSINESS AND AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE"
/ref> His foreign language is French. He is married to Nancy Naden Larson, and they have a daughter and two sons.

Education

Larson has a BA (political science, '71), an MA (economics, '78), and a Ph.D. in economics ('82) from the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (U of I, UIowa, or Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized int ...

. He received the 2003 University of Iowa Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award. He also attended the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Career

1973-89

In 1973 Larson joined the U.S. Department of State and began a career as a

United States Foreign Service The United States Foreign Service is the primary personnel system used by the diplomatic service of the United States federal government, under the aegis of the United States Department of State. It consists of over 13,000 professionals carr ...

officer. From 1973-75, he was first posted to the American Embassy in

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered to the southeast by Liberia and by Guinea to the north. Sierra Leone's land area is . It has a tropical climate and envi ...

as an economic officer. From 1975 to 1977, Larson then had an assignment in

Kinshasa Kinshasa (; ; ), formerly named Léopoldville from 1881–1966 (), is the Capital city, capital and Cities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa is one of the world's fastest-grow ...

Zaire Zaire, officially the Republic of Zaire, was the name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1971 to 18 May 1997. Located in Central Africa, it was, by area, the third-largest country in Africa after Sudan and Algeria, and the 11th-la ...

. Next, he engaged in economic studies at the University of Iowa. In 1978, he became Deputy Director of the Department of State’s Energy Policy Office. Larson then had a tour in the economic section of the US Embassy in

Kingston, Jamaica Kingston is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long spit (landform), sand spit which connects the town of Por ...

. In 1984-86, he served as an executive assistant to the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs. In 1986, Larson was named Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Energy and Resources Policy. He then served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs.

1990-2005

In 1990-93, Larson was the United States Ambassador to the

(OECD) in Paris, France. From 1993-96, Larson served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Economic Bureau, as well as Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Finance and Development. From 1996-99, he served as U.S. Department of State Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs. In 1999–2005, appointed by

President Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the att ...

, Larson served as US Undersecretary of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs (the first career Foreign Service officer to hold this office; he was reappointed by President George W. Bush in 2001, becoming the only individual in this role to be supported by both Democratic and Republican administrations), OECD, as senior economic advisor to Secretary of State

Colin Powell Colin Luther Powell ( ; – ) was an Americans, American diplomat, and army officer who was the 65th United States secretary of state from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African-American to hold the office. He was the 15th National Security ...

, with his responsibilities including the entire range of international economic policy.

2005-present

Larson currently serves as the Senior International Policy Advisor for

, a position he has held since 2005. In that capacity he advises clients on matters at the intersection of international business and public policy. He is also Chairman of the Coalition for Integrity, an NGO which fights corruption and promotes integrity in the United States and around the world.

Honors

Larson is a United States Career Ambassador (awarded 2004), the State Department’s highest honor. He was awarded the 2013 Foreign Service Cup, given by the US State Department in recognition of a foreign service officer’s career in the foreign service and afterwards on behalf of their communities. Larson's awards include the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Award, Department of State (2005), and Superior Honor, Presidential Distinguished, and performance awards. He is a member of the

American Academy of Diplomacy The American Academy of Diplomacy is a private, nonprofit, non-partisan, elected organization whose active membership is limited to men and women who have held positions of high responsibility in crafting and implementing American foreign policy. ...

References

External links

* *Alan Larson (March 2020)
"Integrity First,"
''The Foreign Service Journal'', p. 19. Living people 1949 births 20th-century American diplomats Ambassadors of the United States to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development American anti-corruption activists American expatriates in the Democratic Republic of the Congo American expatriates in France American expatriates in Jamaica American expatriates in Sierra Leone Clinton administration personnel George W. Bush administration personnel Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies alumni People associated with Covington & Burling People from Iowa City, Iowa People from Osage, Iowa People from Reston, Virginia People from Webster City, Iowa United States assistant secretaries of state United States career ambassadors United States Department of State officials United States Foreign Service personnel United States under secretaries of state University of Iowa alumni {{US-diplomat-stub