Daniel Yohannes
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Daniel W. Yohannes (; born September 22, 1952) is an
Ethiopian-American Ethiopian Americans are Americans of Ethiopian descent, as well as individuals of American and Ethiopian ancestry. The largest Ethiopian American community is in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, with some estimates claiming a population of ...
businessman and philanthropist who served as the U.S. Ambassador to the
OECD 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 ...
from 2014 to 2017. From 2009 to 2014, he was the CEO of the
Millennium Challenge Corporation The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is a bilateral United States foreign aid agency established by the U.S. Congress in 2004. It is an independent agency separate from the State Department and USAID. It provides grants to countries tha ...
(MCC), an independent U.S. foreign aid agency. Before his government service, he worked in the
financial services Financial services are service (economics), economic services tied to finance provided by financial institutions. Financial services encompass a broad range of tertiary sector of the economy, service sector activities, especially as concerns finan ...
industry, as president of M&R Investments, as well as in various roles at
U.S. Bank U.S. Bancorp (stylized as us bancorp) is an American multinational financial services firm headquartered in Minneapolis, Minneapolis, Minnesota and incorporated in Delaware. It is the List of largest banks in the United States, 5th-largest ban ...
, Colorado National Bank, and
Security Pacific Bank Security Pacific National Bank (SPNB) was a large U.S. bank headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was acquired by Bank of America in 1992. History On September 1, 1868, Hellman, Temple and Co. opened their first bank branch in Los ...
. In July 2006
John Hickenlooper John Wright Hickenlooper Jr. ( ; born February 7, 1952) is an American politician, geologist, and businessman serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, junior United States Senate, United States senator from Colorado since 2021. A mem ...
appointed Yohannes to be co-chairman of the Greenprint Council, a group charged with overseeing the city of Denver’s sustainability plan, and in November 2006,
Colorado Governor The governor of Colorado is the head of government of the U.S. state of Colorado. The governor is the head of the executive branch of Colorado's state government and is charged with enforcing state laws. The governor has the power to either appr ...
Bill Ritter August William Ritter Jr. (born September 6, 1956) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 41st Governor of Colorado from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the district attorney for Denver before his ele ...
named him to oversee his transition team.


Early life and family

Born in
Addis Ababa Addis Ababa (; ,) is the capital city of Ethiopia, as well as the regional state of Oromia. With an estimated population of 2,739,551 inhabitants as of the 2007 census, it is the largest city in the country and the List of cities in Africa b ...
,
Ethiopia Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Ken ...
, on September 22, 1952, Yohannes completed elementary school at the Nativity Boys' School and went on to St. Joseph’s, a prestigious Catholic high school in the Ethiopian capital. He is fluent in
Amharic Amharic is an Ethio-Semitic language, which is a subgrouping within the Semitic branch of the Afroasiatic languages. It is spoken as a first language by the Amhara people, and also serves as a lingua franca for all other metropolitan populati ...
. In 1970, at the age of 17, Yohannes immigrated to the United States from Ethiopia. He finished high school in Los Angeles and went on to college, earning a B.A. in economics from
Claremont McKenna College Claremont McKenna College (CMC) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Claremont, California. It has a curricular emphasis on government, economics, public affairs, finance, and internat ...
and an M.B.A. from
Pepperdine University Pepperdine University () is a private university, private Christianity, Christian research university affiliated with the Churches of Christ, with its main campus in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Pepperdine's main campus consists ...
. Daniel Yohannes is married to Saron Yohannes. They have three children.


Career


Financial services

Yohannes began his career in the
financial services Financial services are service (economics), economic services tied to finance provided by financial institutions. Financial services encompass a broad range of tertiary sector of the economy, service sector activities, especially as concerns finan ...
industry. In 1977, he started at Security Pacific National Bank (now
Bank of America The Bank of America Corporation (Bank of America) (often abbreviated BofA or BoA) is an American multinational investment banking, investment bank and financial services holding company headquartered at the Bank of America Corporate Center in ...
) as a management trainee. Working his way up the ranks, Yohannes eventually became executive vice president before leaving in 1992. Yohannes then relocated to Denver to work for the First Bank System, serving as president of Colorado National Bank from 1992 to 1999. During his tenure, the bank grew from $2 billion to $9 billion in assets. Also during this time, Colorado National Bank was acquired by
U.S. Bank U.S. Bancorp (stylized as us bancorp) is an American multinational financial services firm headquartered in Minneapolis, Minneapolis, Minnesota and incorporated in Delaware. It is the List of largest banks in the United States, 5th-largest ban ...
and Yohannes became CEO of U.S. Bank’s Colorado division. Yohannes was subsequently named vice chairman and member of the management committee at U.S. Bank. He was named president of the division in 2002, and departed in 2003, stating that “it was time to do something different." Yohannes followed his passion for protecting the environment through practical, sustainable methods by co-founding the
New Resource Bank New Resource Bank is a San Francisco, California-based bank which is a part of Amalgamated Bank. The bank is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and offers commercial loan and deposit products, specializing in renewable and alter ...
in
San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
in 2006. The New Resource Bank invests in green projects and environmentally sustainable businesses. Yohannes also served as president of M&R Investments, an investment firm specializing in real estate, financial institutions and the green sector.


Millennium Challenge Corporation

In September 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Yohannes to serve as CEO of the
Millennium Challenge Corporation The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is a bilateral United States foreign aid agency established by the U.S. Congress in 2004. It is an independent agency separate from the State Department and USAID. It provides grants to countries tha ...
, a U.S. development agency that aims to reduce global poverty by investing in select countries that demonstrate a commitment to good governance. On November 20, 2009, the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee The United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is a standing committee of the U.S. Senate charged with leading foreign-policy legislation and debate in the Senate. It is generally responsible for authorizing and overseeing foreign a ...
confirmed Yohannes. Upon his confirmation, Yohannes stated, "It is challenging to replace patronage with partnership and to deliver smart aid that matters by encouraging good policies, country-led development, and sustainable results. MCC offers some important lessons on where to start. MCC lays an innovative foundation to address the complex problem of global poverty." Described by CNN as "Obama's man on global development," Yohannes brought his private sector expertise to the position, stating that, to bring the greatest returns to American taxpayers, MCC should be run effectively and efficiently, “just like a business." Under Yohannes' leadership, MCC started or completed investments of more than $9 billion in 25 countries on projects that lifted more than 173 million people out of poverty. Yohannes led two Presidential Delegations while serving as CEO of MCC- the first to
Dakar Dakar ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Senegal, largest city of Senegal. The Departments of Senegal, department of Dakar has a population of 1,278,469, and the population of the Dakar metropolitan area was at 4.0 mill ...
,
Senegal Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in West Africa, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. It borders Mauritania to Mauritania–Senegal border, the north, Mali to Mali–Senegal border, the east, Guinea t ...
for President
Macky Sall Macky Sall (, , ; born 11 December 1961) is a Senegalese politician who served as the fourth president of Senegal from 2012 to 2024. He previously served as the eighth Prime Minister of Senegal, prime minister from 2004 to 2007, under President ...
’s inauguration in April 2012, and the second to
Accra Accra (; or ''Gaga''; ; Ewe: Gɛ; ) is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, , had a population of ...
,
Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...
for the inauguration of President
John Dramani Mahama John Dramani Mahama (; born 29 November 1958) is a Ghanaian politician who has been the 14th president of Ghana since January 2025. A member of the National Democratic Congress (Ghana), National Democratic Congress (NDC), he served as the 12th p ...
in January 2013. In June 2013, President Obama invited Yohannes to join him during his trip to Africa. Yohannes accompanied the president in Senegal from June 27–28 and in
Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...
from July 1–2, where the U.S. delegation announced the administration's Power Africa initiative, in which MCC plays a role. While at the MCC, Yohannes stressed the importance of investment and development to "the economic future and national security of the United States." Referring to MCC's work in Africa, Yohannes stated that, "in addition to helping many African partners become self sufficient...we're also creating the next markets for American products and services." Yohannes also advocated for a holistic approach to development that looks beyond capacity-building and production to improving access to markets and fostering trade. Yohannes departe
MCC
for the OECD during its landmark 10th anniversary year, after having helped cement MCC's reputation as an innovative development agency that pushes the envelope on results, evidence-driven decision-making, accountability, and data transparency.


U.S. Ambassador to the OECD

Yohannes took up his duties as U.S. Ambassador to the
OECD 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 ...
on May 2, 2014. He was nominated by President Barack Obama on September 11, 2013, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 9, 2014. As ambassador, Yohannes has established climate change, tax reform, governance, development, and inequality as top priorities for the United States at the OECD. In cooperation with the Department of Treasury, he secured agreement for new international tax rules that helps reduce tax avoidance among multinational corporations and prevent double taxation. In November 2015, he facilitated a landmark agreement to restrict the use of export credits for coal-fired power plants. He also worked closely with the Department of Energy of Department of State to chair the
International Energy Agency The International Energy Agency (IEA) is a Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental organization, established in 1974, that provides policy recommendations, analysis and data on the global energy sector. The 31 member countries and 13 associatio ...
(IEA) Ministerial, which modernized the IEA and aligned its mission and activities with the current energy landscape. In 2015, Yohannes began a sustained effort to strengthen and expand the OECD’s work to address rising inequality. In July, he published a joint op-ed with OECD Secretary-General
José Ángel Gurría José Ángel Gurría Treviño, also known as Ángel Gurría, (born 8 May 1950) is a Mexican people, Mexican economist and diplomat. From 1 June 2006 to 31 May 2021, he was the secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and ...
, arguing that the United States can lead a global transition towards a more inclusive model of economic growth. In October, he created a Friends of Inclusive Growth group, then leveraged his role as chair to foster collaboration with local government and private sector leaders. Explaining his strategy, he compared rising inequality to climate change, arguing that: “in the case of the
climate movement The climate movement is a global social movement focused on pressuring governments and industry to take action (also called ''climate action'') addressing the causes and Effects of climate change, impacts of climate change. Citizens and environme ...
, cities, NGO’s and businesses took the lead in
policy experimentation Policy experimentation points to political-administrative procedures and initiatives that allow to discover or test novel instruments of problem-solving and thereby propel broader-based policy innovation or institutional adaptation in a given polity ...
and advocacy, laying the groundwork for action at the national level. They can do the same on inequality. They can lead a global movement for inclusive economic growth.” Yohannes encouraged and supported the creation of a network o
Champion Mayors for Inclusive Growth
launched at the
Ford Foundation The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a $25,000 (about $550,000 in 2023) gift from Edsel Ford. ...
on March 29, 2016. At the second meeting of Champion Mayors, he announced that he had obtained funding from the Department of State for a dedicated web platform that would strengthen collaboration between mayors and educate the public about inclusive growth. Yohannes also led outreach to the private sector, hosting the launch of the OECD Initiative on Business and Inclusive Growth on November 15, 2016. Publicly, Yohannes insisted on the strategic value of the OECD to the United States, calling the organization “an extension of U.S. foreign policy” and “a powerful instrument to promote our values worldwide.” He was outspoken about the need for a sustained focus on gender at the OECD, arguing that “gender cannot be a side issue, a separate funding stream or an afterthought; it must be woven into the fabric of the organization so that it informs every single issue the OECD addresses.” And he pressed the OECD to make the economic case for LGBT inclusivity, arguing that “there are real costs to society when a significant segment is cut off from health care, social benefits or social protection.” Thanks to his efforts to obtain funding and generate support among other OECD members, the OECD launched a research project with the goal of developing evidence-based policy recommendations for LGBT inclusivity. Yohannes also spoke publicly about how his experience as an immigrant inspired his public service: “I wanted to give back to the country that gave me so much,” he wrote. A strong advocate for diversity, he argued that “in diplomacy as in every other area, America’s greatest resource is its difference.” In June 2016, Yohannes co-hosted the first-ever Ethiopian American Policy Briefing at the White House. In his opening remarks, he told Ethiopian Americans that “America’s melting pot is a recipe for success” and that “what we make of our immigrant experience is up to us.”


Boards and community service

Yohannes is active in his community and has served on various boards and civil organizations, including sitting on the board of Project C.U.R.E (Commission on Urgent Relief & Equipment), an organization that delivers donated medical supplies and equipment to more than 120 developing nations around the world, and the
National Jewish Hospital National Jewish Health is an American academic hospital/clinic in Denver, Colorado, doing research and treatment in respiratory, cardiac, immune and related disorders. It is an internationally respected medical center that draws people from man ...
. Yohannes helped to fund the building of a new research and medical facility at the hospital, the Iris and Michael Smith Clinics and Laboratories, which opened in 2007. Yohannes served as co-chair of the 23rd G8 summit in Denver, Colorado, in 1997 along with Bill Coors and
Gail Schoettler Gail Schoettler (, née Sinton; born October 21, 1943) is a retired American politician and businesswoman who served as the 44th Lieutenant Governor of Colorado and 50th Colorado State Treasurer. In the 1998 gubernatorial election, Schoettler ...
. In this capacity, Yohannes was responsible for raising the funds necessary to host the summit. Yohannes was recognized in Denver for the significant role he played in making the summit possible. Yohannes was also an advocate for Denver
Sister Cities International Sister Cities International (SCI) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) with the goal of facilitating partnerships between communities within the United States and other countries by establishing sister cities. Sister cities are agreements of ...
, playing an influential role in pairing Denver with the Ethiopian city of
Axum Axum, also spelled Aksum (), is a town in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia with a population of 66,900 residents (as of 2015). It is the site of the historic capital of the Aksumite Empire. Axum is located in the Central Zone of the Tigray Re ...
. In 1995, after the match was made official, Yohannes co-led a delegation of Denver officials and business leaders on a visit to Axum. Yohannes has served the arts community through his presence on the Smithsonian National Board and the board of directors of Media One (now Comcast). In 2006, while serving on the board of trustees of
Denver Art Museum The Denver Art Museum (DAM) is an art museum located in the Civic Center of Denver, Colorado. With an encyclopedic collection of more than 70,000 diverse works from across the centuries and world, the DAM is one of the largest art museums betwe ...
, Yohannes and his family endowed the museum’s first African art gallery. Beyond providing the new gallery space in the museum, Yohannes aided in expanding the museum’s
African art African art encompasses modern and historical paintings, sculptures, installations, and other visual cultures originating from indigenous African diaspora, African communities across the African continent. The definition may also include the ar ...
collection. He has also lent his expertise to his community by serving on the boards of the
University of Washington The University of Washington (UW and informally U-Dub or U Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington, United States. Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast of the Uni ...
Michael G.
Foster School of Business The University of Washington Foster School of Business (also known as UW Foster) is the business school of the University of Washington in Seattle. Founded in 1917 as the University of Washington School of Business Administration, the school was ...
, the Pacific Coast Banking School, the
Boy Scouts of America Scouting America is the largest scouting organization and one of the largest List of youth organizations, youth organizations in the United States, with over 1 million youth, including nearly 200,000 female participants. Founded as the Boy Sco ...
, the First Western Trust Bank, the
New Resource Bank New Resource Bank is a San Francisco, California-based bank which is a part of Amalgamated Bank. The bank is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and offers commercial loan and deposit products, specializing in renewable and alter ...
, and the board of advisors for the
University of Colorado The University of Colorado (CU) is a system of public universities in Colorado. It consists of four institutions: the University of Colorado Boulder, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, the University of Colorado Denver, and the U ...
Medical School A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, professional school, or forms a part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, ...
. On April 1, 2019, Yohannes was named a director of the newly formed
Dow Inc. The Dow Chemical Company is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Midland, Michigan, United States. The company was among the three largest chemical producers in the world in 2021. It is the operating subsidiary of Dow Inc., a ...


Memberships and Honors

In February 2013, outgoing Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...
awarded Yohannes with the State Department’s highest honor, the
Secretary’s Distinguished Service Award The Secretary's Distinguished Service Award is an award of the United States Department of State. It is presented at the discretion of the secretary of state in recognition of exceptionally outstanding leadership, professional competence, and sig ...
. In June 2013, Yohannes was invited to join the
Council of Foreign Relations A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state/provincial or nation ...
. In 2013, Yohannes was named t
Washington Life Magazine’s Power 100
list. Similarly, in 2012, he was included on Paris-base

of the top 50 most influential Africans. Three foreign governments have also recognized Yohannes’ service and leadership. The Government of the Philippines awarded him it

in October 2014. Benin honored him with its National Order of Merit, Commander. Yohannes also received the Honduran Medal of Merit, Commander.


References


External links


U.S. Mission to the OECD

Millennium Challenge Corporation

CNN Profile

US Bank

Denver Art Museum
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Yohannes, Daniel 1952 births Ambassadors of the United States to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development African-American diplomats 21st-century American diplomats Claremont McKenna College alumni Living people Obama administration personnel Pepperdine University alumni Ethiopian emigrants to the United States Businesspeople from Denver Directors of Dow Inc.