Overview
Finland is a low-lying country in Northern Europe that has gone from occupation by Sweden in the 12th Century to Russian occupation under Czar Alexander I. Finland was under Russian control until 1917, when it declared its independence following the Bolshevist Revolution. Though the country has tried to remain neutral during world conflicts, WWII had Finland being occupied by Germany and fighting the Russians twice before the end of the war. Since the end of the Cold War, Finland has moved toward greater cooperation with Western nations, including the United States. The Finns have experienced severe financial issues internally, but this has not stopped them from taking steps to open trade relations with the West, as well as take precautionary steps to make sure their economy is not negatively affected in the future. On October 10, 2008, Finnish Prime Minister Martti Ahtisaari won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to build peace from Africa and Asia to Europe and the Middle East.
Basic Information
Lay of the Land: In northern Europe, Finland is a low-lying country with a vast number of lakes. Its greatest resource is its evergreen forests, which cover nearly three fourths of the land. The northern third of the country lies within the Arctic Circle.
Population: 5.2 million
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 83%, Orthodox Christian 1%, Pentecostal 0.8%, Sunni Muslim 0.3%, Catholic 0.2%, Shi'a Muslim 0.1%, Jewish 0.04%, non-religious 10%.
Ethnic Groups: Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.6%, Russian 0.5%, Estonian 0.3%, Roma 0.1%, Sami 0.1%.
Languages: Finish (official) 90.4%, Swedish (official) 5.7%, Karelian 0.2%, Estonian 0.1%, Livvi 0.1%, Romani (Kalo Finnish) 0.1%, Saami (Inari, North, Skolt) 0.05%.
History
Finland was settled by a race of people who came from west-central Siberia immediately after the Ice Age (around 8500 BC). They arrived in Finland several thousand years ago, pushing the indigenous Lapps into the northerly regions of the country.
In 1154, Sweden's King Eric introduced Christianity to Finland, and during the next few centuries, Finland played an important role in the development of Sweden. Finns populated the Swedish army and were among the first wave of “Swedish” settlers in the 17th Century, when they came to America.
Sweden incorporated Finland during the 12th Century, making Swedish the country’s primary language. It remained a Swedish territory until 1809 when Czar Alexander I conquered Finland. Finland became an autonomous grand duchy of the Russian Empire that year and remained so until the end of 1917. During the Russian occupation, Finland experienced a wave of nationalism, and publication of The Kaleval, a collection of traditional myths and legends in 1835, led to Finland's eventual freedom from Russia. Also during this time, Finland experienced a terrible famine from 1866-68 that paved the way for fewer economic regulations and greater political development.
Finland declared its independence on December 6, 1917, shortly after the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. During 1918, the country experienced a civil war that helped to shape domestic politics for many years to come. The Red Guards, supported by Russia, fought the White Guard, a group of Germanophiles.
During World War II, Finland fought the Soviet Union twice. The first occurred during the Winter War of 1939-40 and the second occurred during the Continuation War of 1941-44. The Lapland War followed from 1944-45 during which the Finns fought the Germans as they withdrew their forces from northern Finland.
Though the Finns had cooperated with the Germans during the occupation, only eight of the 500 Jews living in Finland were handed over to the Nazis. In 2000, Finland submitted a formal apology for these actions.
During WWII, 2,600 Soviet prisoners of war were exchanged for 2,100 Finnish prisoners of war from Germany. Finland signed the first of two treaties with the Soviet Union that spelled out relations between the two countries. The treaty stipulated various obligations, restraints and territorial concessions, and formed the basis for the second agreement, signed in 1948. Both agreements were abrogated by Finland following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Along with the other countries of the Nordic Council, Finland entered into a passport union in 1952 that allowed the country's citizens to cross borders without passports. Soon afterward, they were also allowed to apply for jobs and collect social security benefits in these other countries.
Finland has traditionally been neutral in political and trade matters. The YYA Treaty (Finno-Soviet Pact of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance), which spanned from 1948 to 1993, gave the Soviet Union leverage in domestic politics. President Urho Kekkonen exploited this situation and ruled the country as the only choice for president for 25 years, from 1956 to 1981. By monopolizing relations with the Soviet Union, he helped to bring in the policy of “Finlandization,” meaning the influence of a larger country (in this case, Russia) over a smaller one. Defectors seeking asylum in Finland were returned to the Soviet Union for imprisonment or execution, and the KGB used their allies to install socialists in the administration, mass media and academia.
In 1961, Finland became an associate member of the European Free Trade Association. The country became a full member in 1986. When a very large Baby Boomer generation entered the workforce, the Finnish economy could not create jobs fast enough. Hundreds of thousands of Finns immigrated to Sweden, a more industrialized country, between 1969 and 1970.
In 1992, Finland endured economic problems when depressed international markets caused a depression. The stock market fell by 50%, the GDP fell by 15% and the public debt doubled to 60% of GDP. Many of Finland's state industries were privatized during this time and measures were put in place to stave off inflation and regulate the country's finances. Finland joined the European Union in 1995.
In 2003, the Simon Wiesenthal Center requested an investigation by Finnish authorities into the exchange of Jewish prisoners during WWII. The investigation established that there had been about 70 Jews among the extradited prisoners. However, none of these prisoners was extradited because of ethnic of their religious backgrounds.
On October 10, 2008, Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari won the Nobel Peace Prize. He has worked for more than three decades to resolve international conflicts across Africa, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. In 2007, Ahtisaari's office started secret meetings in Finland between Iraqi Sunni and Shiite groups to agree on a road map to peace. Those talks, based on the format of peacemaking efforts in South Africa and Northern Ireland, included 16 delegates from the feuding groups.
The European Commission told Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark and Finland in May 2010 that their budget deficits were too large, and set them under special procedure to ensure they reduce their spending. The European Union sets a cap on budget overspends at 3% of gross domestic product. Finland expects its deficit to reach 4.1%.
The Finnish government agreed to reduce 2010’s net borrowing by 1.9 billion euros. In all, the state will have to borrow approximately 12 billion euros for 2010. By the end of the year, the central government debt is expected to total in excess of 76 billion euros, which equals about 43% of GDP. However, the World Economic Forum showed that Finland has the second most competitive economy, compared with other European countries. The analysis is based on indicators such as economic and productivity growth, research and development spending, and unemployment.
Sweden, Finland Most Competitive EU Economies, WEF Study Shows (by Jones Hayden, Bloomberg Businessweek)
Finland to Reduce this Year’s Net Borrowing by EUR 1.9 Billion from Earlier Estimate (Helsingin Sanomat)
History of Finland (Wikipedia)
Settlement of Finland Begins (Uralic Family Homepage)
History of Finland (Suomalaisuuden Lutto)
History (Virtual Finland)
History of Finland (History of Nations)
'Tireless and Self-Effacing' Ahtisaari Wins Nobel Prize (by Ian Traynor, The Guardian)
Finland's Newspapers
Åland (Mariehamn)
Österbottningen (Kokkola) [In Swedish]
Borgåbladet (Borgå) [In Swedish]
Hämeenlinnan Viikkouutiset (Hämenlinna)
Helsinki Times [In English]
Hervanta.fi (Tampere City)
Iisalmen Sanomat (Iisalmi)
Ilkka (South Ostrobothnia)
Inarilainen (Ivalo, Lapland)
Joroisten Lehti (Joroinen)
Joutsan Seutu (Joutsa, Leivonmäki & Luhanka)
Kaarina-lehti (Kaarina)
Kaupunkilehti Uusi Rauma (Rauma)
Keski-Espoon Sanomat (Espoo)
Keski-Uusimaa (Hyvinkää, Riihimäki, Järvenpää, Kerava, Tuusula, Nurmijärvi)
Kuhmolainen (Kuhmo)
Kunnallislehti (Paimio, Sauvo & Piikkiö)
Länsi-Suomi (Rauma)
Länsi-Uusimaa (Lohja)
Länsiväylä (Espoo)
Loimaan Lehti (Loimaa)
Luoteis-Lappi (Kolari, Muonio)
Mäntsälä-lehti (Mäntsälä)
Nokian Uutiset (Nokia)
Norra Posten (Uusikaarlepyy, Pietarsaari, Pedersäre, Luoto, Kruunupyy & Kokkola)
Österbottens Tidning (Karleby Jakobstad) [In Swedish]
Oulun Eteläinen (Reisjärvi, Pyhäjärvi, Haapajärvi, Nivala, Kärsämäki, Haapavesi, Pulkkila & others)
Päijät-Hämeen Sanomat (Hame, Päijät-Hame, Asikkala & Nastola)
Palvelulehti Itäväylä (Helsinki)
Pohjalainen (Vaasa)
Pyhäjokiseutu (Oulainen, Haapavesi)
Rannikkoseutu (Askainen, Lemu, Masku, Merimasku, Naantali, Raisio, Rymättylä & Velkua)
Rantalakeus (Kempele, Oulunsalo, Hailuoto, Liminka, Lumijoki, Tyrnävä & Temmes)
Sisä-Suomen Lehti (Äänekoski)
Sopuli Verkkolehti (Äetsä, Vammala)
Tamperelainen (Tampere)
Tervareitti (Muhos, Utajärvi & Vaala)
Tietovantaa (Vantaa)
Trade Union News [In English]
Valkeakosken Sanomat (Valkeakoski)
Ylioppilaslehti (Helsinki)
History of U.S. Relations with Finland
The earliest Finns in the US came as part of the New Sweden colony in the 17th century, but eventually were assimilated into the dominant English and Dutch communities there. Finns also played a role in Russian fur trading in Alaska in the 19th Century and moved south to places like Seattle and San Francisco when Russia sold Alaska to the US in 1867.
Most Finns immigrated between 1864 and 1924, motivated by a population boom at home and lack of economic opportunity. Many came as part of the Great Laestadian Migration of 1864-1895, when the followers of Lars Levi Laestadius (founder of the Laestadian movement, which is known in the US as the Apostolic Lutheran Church) formed cohesive communities throughout the Midwest. About half of the Finnish American population lives in the Midwest and a quarter live in the West. The fives states containing the largest Finnish populations are Michigan, Minnesota, California, Washington, and Massachusetts.
Relations between the US and Finland began on December 6, 1917, when Finland declared its independence from Russia. The two countries appointed a minister to manage relations between them in 1919, but the official role of ambassador was not established until 1954 during the Cold War.
Because Finland shares a border with the Soviet Union, the country has been of particular interest to the United States, especially during the Cold War and its aftermath. Before the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, the official US policy involved supporting Finland's neutrality while helping to bolster its historic, cultural and economic ties with the West.
Since 1991, the US has become more involved with Finland. Finland, for its part, has moved away from its former position of neutrality and increasing toward integration with Western political structures.
In 1994, Finland bought 64 F-18 fighter planes from the US, signaling its willingness to reconsider its arms-buying policies. In the past, Finland had bought arms in a balanced manner, from Western and Eastern sources. The last of these fighter planes was delivered in August 2000.
Finland joined NATO's Partnership for Peace in 1994. It is also an observer in the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. Finland joined the EU in 1995 and acquired observer status in the Western European Union at the same time. This has led to increased trade between the Finland and the US.
Finland–United States Relations (Wikipedia)
U.S. Relations with Finland (Ambassadors to Finland)
U.S.-Finland Relations (Conservapedia)
Current U.S. Relations with Finland
Relations between Finland the United States are cooperative. The United States has an educational exchange program in Finland. It is financed in part from a trust fund established in 1976 from Finland's final repayment of a US loan made in the aftermath of World War I.
More recently, Finland has begun to welcome American and other foreign investors. Specialized high-tech companies and investments that take advantage of Finland's position as a gateway to Russia and the Baltic countries comprise the primary areas of interest to US investors.
Think City AS, a Finnish company that makes small electric vehicles, received a $40 million infusion of capital to finance vehicle development and assembly of the battery-powered minicar at a vehicle plant in Elkhart, Indiana. Think plans to initially begin assembling electric vehicles in Elkhart in 2010, The first cars sold in the U.S. will be built in Finland by contract assembler Valmet Automotive, which also is an investor in Think.
According to the 2000 US census, 623,559 people identified themselves as Finnish.
In 2006, 88,738 Americans visited Finland. The number of tourists has fluctuated between a low of 82,822 (2003) and a high of 93,484 (2004) since 2002.
Also in 2006, 87,904 Finns visited the US. Before tourism peaked in 2005 (89,125 visitors), it grew steadily since 2002, when 64,860 Finns came to America.
Noted Finnish-Americans
John Morton (1725-April 1, 1777) was a signer of the Declaration of Independence who immigrated to the US from Eastern Finland.
Eero Saarinen (August 20, 1910-September 1, 1961), a famous architect and product designer, came to the US in 1923 when he was 13 and he received his US citizenry in 1940. Saarinen made the original “tulip chair” used in the TV series Star Trek. He designed major corporate buildings including those for John Deere, IBM, and CBS, as well as the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri.
Malia Nurma (1922-2008) was an actress best known for her role as the 1950s character Vampira. Her family moved to the United States from Finland when she was two years old..
Pamela Anderson (born July 1, 1967) is famous for her acting role in the TV series Baywatch, her modeling for Playboy magazine, and her tabloid publicity. Her paternal grandfather was Hermanni Hyytiäinen from Saarijärvi, Finland.
Matt Damon (born October 8, 1970) has starred in several Hollywood hits including Good Will Hunting, Saving Private Ryan, the Bourne series, Invictus, The Good Shepard, The Departed, and many others. He is one of the top 40 highest grossing actors of all time and was named Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine. Matt Damon’s maternal great grandmother was Impi Nieminen, from Finland.
Anna Easteden (born November 29, 1976) was born in Finland and was raised there until she was a teenager. She is a Hollywood actress who has appeared in The House of Branching Love, Who Wants to be a Superhero, and several soap operas including Passions and Days of Our Lives.
George Gaynes (Born May 16, 1917) was born in Finland and is an actor who starred in the Police Academy Series, Punky Brewster and the soap opera General Hospital.
David Lynch (born January 20, 1946) is a filmmaker known for nightmarish and dreamlike images. He directed The Elephant Man, Blue Velvet, and Mulholland Drive, receiving an Academy Award Nomination for Best Director for The Elephant Man. His grandparents immigrated from Finland.
Jorma Kaukonen Jr (born December 23, 1940) is an American blues, folk, and rock guitarist who is an inductee in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His father is of Finnish descent.
Thinks US Production Moves a Step Closer to Reality (Inside Line)
U.S.-Finnish Diplomatic Relations: A History (Embassy of the United States)
Foreign Relations of Finland (Wikipedia)
Where Does the Money Flow
From 2005 to 2009, the largest American imports from Finland included petroleum products, up from $345.9 million to $578.6 million; generators, transformers, and accessories increasing from $106.6 million to $205.9 million; nickel on the rise from $44.7 million to $82.9 million; photo chemicals, print inks, and paint, increasing from $72.8 million to $81.7 million ;fuel oil, increasing from $0 to $22.3 million; tobacco, waxes, and non-food oils, moving up from $16.6 million to $34.3 million.
US imports on the decline included paper and paper products, moving down from $734.5 million to $521.2 million; passenger cars down $296.3 million to $145.5 million; iron and steel mill, moving down from $84.0 million to $64.4 million; fertilizers, pesticides, and insecticides, decreasing from $66.5 million to $39.0 million; dairy products and eggs, decreasing from $40.9 million to $38.0 million; and plywood and veneers, down from $25.8 million to $16.3 million.
Leading American exports to Finland from 2005 to 2009 included petroleum products, moving up from $5.1 million to $51.8 million; chemicals-other, increasing from $21.4 million to $45.1 million; industrial engines (new and used), moving up from $16.9 million to $21.6 million; and generators, accessories, up from $5.6 million to $18.5 million, nuts, increasing from $4.7 million to $7.6 million.
US exports to Finland on the decline included passenger cars, decreasing from $370.0 million to $90.7 million; computer accessories, decreasing from $132.3 million to $47.7 million; civilian aircraft engines, equipment and parts, down from $129.8 million to $73.8 million; and telecommunications equipment, moving down from $107.9 million to $86.2 million.
The US does not give any aid or security assistance to Finland, nor does it sell any defense articles or services to the Scandinavian nation.
Trade in Goods (Imports, Exports and Trade Balance) with Finland (U.S. Census Bureau)
Export to Finland! (BUYUSA.gov)
Finland - A Fascinating Market to Explore (BUYUSA.gov)
Human Rights
According to the State Department “human rights problems included violence against women, trafficking in persons, and societal discrimination against foreign-born residents and Roma (Gypsies), according to the State Department. There were reports of societal discrimination against foreign-born residents, including refugees and asylum seekers.”The State Department noted “as of October 1,2007, a total of 599 cases of rape were reported to the police. Justice Ministry officials estimated that the actual number of rape cases was higher, noting that as many as 75% of unreported rapes each year were committed by a known assailant.”
The State Department found “societal violence against women, including spousal abuse, continued to be a problem. Domestic abuse may be prosecuted under various criminal laws, including rape, assault and battery, harassment, and disturbing the peace. The penalty for domestic physical violence ranges from a minimum of six months to a maximum of 10 years in prison. According to government officials, efforts to raise awareness of the problem have increased willingness on the part of victims to report violence. In October 2006, according to findings presented at a major international seminar held in the country, an estimated 12 to 15% of women over the age of 15 were subjected to violence of some form. In 2005, 4,000 cases of domestic violence were reported to the police; of that number, 3,195 involved female victims.According to the government, up to 30 women died each year from domestic violence. In 2006, for example, police estimated that 25 of the homicide prosecutions in the country had clear implications of domestic violence.”
According to Amnesty International’s special report on rape in Nordic countries, there was “one case in Finland where a man forced a woman to have sexual intercourse in the disabled toilet of a car park by banging her head against the wall and twisting her arm behind her back. In the prosecutor's opinion, this was not rape as the violence used was of slight degree. The man was convicted of coercion into sexual intercourse and sentenced to a conditional (suspended) seven-month prison term.”
Additionally the State Department reported “trafficking in women for the purpose of sexual exploitation was a problem.”
According to the State Department “on average women earned approximately 18% less than men for substantially similar work. Women were overrepresented in lower-paying occupations, while men tended to dominate the upper ranks in industry, finance, and some government ministries. A 2005 law broadened the number of individuals eligible to receive compensation for lost wages in cases where gender-based discrimination was proven.”
The State Department found that “child abuse was a problem. During the year the number of suspected sexual abuse cases reported to police continued to increase, due in large part to a greater willingness to report child abuse. According to police, an average of 600 cases of child sex abuse was reported annually. There were reports of trafficking of children for sexual exploitation.”
Furthermore, the State Department noted “the law prohibits all forms of trafficking in persons, but there were reports that persons were trafficked to, through, and within the country. The country continued to be a transit and destination point for trafficked men, women, and children; however, there were no reliable estimates available on the actual incidence of trafficking.Many trafficking victims were women and girls from Russia, although Azerbaijani, Moldovan, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian women were also trafficked to and through the country to Western Europe for commercial sexual exploitation. Increasing numbers of Asian women, most of whom were believed to be Chinese and Thai, were trafficked through the country to other parts of Europe.”
According to the State Department “there was some societal tension between ethnic Finns and minority groups, and there were reports of racist or xenophobic incidents. During the first 10 months of the year, police said they received 650 reports of race-related crimes and misdemeanors. The vast majority of the cases involved racial epithets directed towards immigrants, or merchant refusals to provide services to members of minority groups. In early January 2009 three persons were convicted of violating the law on publishing hate material. The case stemmed from a July 2006 incident involving a letter containing anti-Semitic language that was sent to two regional newspapers. Jewish groups and government authorities criticized the two regional newspapers for publishing the letter.”
Past Ambassadors
Alexander R. Magruder
Appointment: [see note below]
Presentation of Credentials: Mar 19, 1920
Termination of Mission: Superseded, Feb 17, 1922
Note: Not commissioned; letter of credence dated Mar 13, 1920.
Charles L. Kagey
Appointment: Oct 8, 1921
Presentation of Credentials: Feb 17, 1922
Termination of Mission: Left post, Mar 24, 1925
John B. Stetson, Jr.
Appointment: May 7, 1925
Note: Commissioned during a recess of the Senate. Took oath of office, but did not proceed to post.
Alfred J. Pearson
Appointment: Jun 23, 1925
Presentation of Credentials: Sep 5, 1925
Termination of Mission: Left post, Apr 30, 1930
Note: Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on Dec 17, 1925.
Edward E. Brodie
Appointment: Jan 31, 1930
Presentation of Credentials: May 16, 1930
Termination of Mission: Left post, Sep 21, 1933
Edward Albright
Appointment: Jul 21, 1933
Presentation of Credentials: Oct 5, 1933
Termination of Mission: Left post, Apr 12, 1937
Note: Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on Jan 15, 1934.
H. F. Arthur Schoenfeld
Appointment: Apr 22, 1937
Presentation of Credentials: Jul 2, 1937
Termination of Mission: Left post, Dec 17, 1942
Note: Edmund A. Gullion was serving as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim when the United States severed diplomatic relations with Finland, Jun 30, 1944. The Legation in Helsinki was reestablished Sep 1, 1945, with Benjamin M. Hulley as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.
Maxwell M. Hamilton
Appointment: Sep 25, 1945
Presentation of Credentials: Mar 26, 1946
Termination of Mission: Left post, Aug 25, 1947
Avra M. Warren
Appointment: Dec 18, 1947
Presentation of Credentials: Feb 10, 1948
Termination of Mission: Left post, Feb 18, 1950
John M. Cabot
Appointment: Feb 2, 1950
Presentation of Credentials: Feb 27, 1950
Termination of Mission: Left post, Sep 20, 1952
Jack K. McFall
Appointment: Sep 10, 1952
Presentation of Credentials: Sep 17, 1954
Termination of Mission: Left post, Sep 19, 1955
Note: The Legation in Helsinki was raised to Embassy status on Sep 10, 1954.
John D. Hickerson
Appointment: Oct 4, 1955
Presentation of Credentials: Nov 23, 1955
Termination of Mission: Left post, Nov 3, 1959
Note: Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on Jan 25, 1956.
Edson O. Sessions
Appointment: Oct 20, 1959
Presentation of Credentials: Nov 28, 1959
Termination of Mission: Left post, Nov 20, 1960
Note: Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on Jan 21, 1960.
Bernard Gufler
Appointment: Feb 24, 1961
Presentation of Credentials: Apr 14, 1961
Termination of Mission: Left post, Apr 18, 1963
Carl T. Rowan
Appointment: Mar 9, 1963
Presentation of Credentials: May 21, 1963
Termination of Mission: Left post, Feb 8, 1964
Tyler Thompson
Appointment: Jul 31, 1964
Presentation of Credentials: Aug 25, 1964
Termination of Mission: Left post, Jun 14, 1969
Val Paterson
Appointment: May 1, 1969
Presentation of Credentials: Jul 14, 1969
Termination of Mission: Left post, Mar 23, 1973
V. John Krehbiel
Appointment: Mar 27, 1973
Presentation of Credentials: Jun 1, 1973
Termination of Mission: Left post, Feb 24, 1975
Mark Evans Austad
Appointment: Feb 20, 1975
Presentation of Credentials: Mar 20, 1975
Termination of Mission: Left post, Apr 14, 1977
Rozanne L. Ridgway
Appointment: May 26, 1977
Presentation of Credentials: Aug 5, 1977
Termination of Mission: Left post, Feb 20, 1980
James E. Goodby
Appointment: Mar 18, 1980
Presentation of Credentials: Apr 11, 1980
Termination of Mission: Left post, Aug 18, 1981
Keith Foote Nyborg
Appointment: Jul 30, 1981
Presentation of Credentials: Sep 18, 1981
Termination of Mission: Left post, Feb 17, 1986
Rockwell Anthony Schnabel
Appointment: Dec 17, 1985
Presentation of Credentials: Feb 28, 1986
Termination of Mission: Left post, Feb 24, 1989
John Giffen Weinmann
Appointment: Oct 10, 1989
Presentation of Credentials: Nov 10, 1989
Termination of Mission: Left post, Aug 29, 1991
John Hubert Kelly
Appointment: Dec 2, 1991
Presentation of Credentials: Dec 20, 1991
Termination of Mission: Left post, July 5, 1994
Derek Shearer
Appointment: May 29, 1994
Presentation of Credentials: Jul 1, 1994
Termination of Mission: Left post, Oct 31, 1997
Eric S. Edelman
Appointment: Jun 29, 1998
Presentation of Credentials: Aug 27, 1998
Termination of Mission: Left post Jan 29, 2001
Bonnie McElveen-Hunter
Appointment: Nov 5, 2001
Presentation of Credentials: Dec 5, 2001
Termination of Mission: Left post Dec 15, 2003
Earle I. Mack
Appointment: May 25, 2004
Presentation of Credentials: June 10, 2004
Termination of Mission: Left post, Oct 20, 2005
Marilyn Ware
Appointment: Dec 20, 2005
Presentation of Credentials: Mar 9, 2006
Termination of Mission: 2008
Finland's Ambassador to the U.S.
Koukku-Ronde, Ritva
The Nordic nation of Finland, where more than 60% of the population speaks at least some English, has sent its first female ambassador to the United States. Ritva Koukku-Ronde, a former journalist with experience in global development issues, took over on September 1, 2011, and presented her credentials to President Barack Obama eight days later.
Born April 15, 1956, in Lahti, Finland, Koukku-Ronde earned an M.A. in History in 1982 at the University of Tampere, having written a thesis titled “A legal obligation, or in vain? Arguments for women’s suffrage used in the British Parliament, 1907-1918.” She worked as a freelance journalist from 1982 to 1985, when she joined the Finnish Foreign Service.
Koukku-Ronde started at the Foreign Affairs Ministry with three one-year assignments: as an attaché in the Press and Cultural Section in 1985; as an attaché at the Finnish embassy in Bonn, West Germany, in 1986; and as an attaché in the Ministry’s Department for International Development Cooperation in 1987. Her first longer-term posting came when she was sent to the embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, where she served as Second Secretary, First Secretary and finally Deputy Head of Mission, from 1987 to 1990. She was also liaison to the UN Environment Program and UN Habitat, whose world headquarters are located in Nairobi.
Returning to Europe, Koukku-Ronde served from 1990 to 1994 as Counselor and Deputy Head of Mission at the embassy in The Hague, Netherlands. She spent the next four years at the Foreign Ministry in Helsinki, first as Counselor in the Political Department of the Unit for the European Union and Western European Countries, from 1994 to 1995. In 1995, she served as Special Adviser to the Director General of the Political Department, and from 1996 to 1998, she was Director for United Nations Development Issues in the Department for International Development Cooperation.
Koukku-Ronde returned to Germany in 1998 to serve as Deputy Head of Mission at the Finnish Embassy until 2003. She then served at Ministry Headquarters in three positions of successively greater responsibility: as Deputy Director General of the Department for European Affairs, from 2003 to 2005; as Director General of the Department for Development Policy, from 2005 to 2009; and as Under-Secretary of State, from 2009 to 2011.
Koukku-Ronde is married to Dutch physician Dr. Hidde Ronde, and the couple has two daughters, Emma and Elsa.
Ritva Koukku-Ronde, the First Female Finnish Ambassador to the United States (by Tomi Hinkkenen, FinnTimes)
Koukku-Ronde on Douglas Alexander’s “Global Recovery Means Development Policy Must Top the International Agenda” (by Ritva Koukku-Ronde, EuropesWorld)
- Table of Contents
- News
- Overview
- Basic Information
- History
- Newspapers
- History of U.S. Relations with Finland
- Current U.S. Relations with Finland
- Where Does the Money Flow
- Controversies
- Human Rights
- Debate
- Past Ambassadors
- Ambassador to the U.S.
- Embassy Web Site in the U.S.
- Comments
- Leave a Comment
U.S. Ambassador to Finland
Oreck, Bruce
Heir to the Oreck vacuum-cleaning fortune, Bruce Oreck was sworn in as U.S. ambassador to Finland August 12, 2009. His experiences have run the gamut from tax attorney to body building to major player in Democratic Party politics. Having contributed thousands of dollars of his own money to campaigns, Oreck also has helped raise even more cash from others for candidates, including President Barack Obama.
Son of David Oreck, founder of the Oreck Corporation, Bruce Oreck grew up with an active outdoors and sports life, collecting minerals as a boy and fighting in boxing matches in high school. He was later a member of the championship fencing team at Johns Hopkins University, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in 1975. His graduate studies were conducted at Louisiana State University (Juris Doctorate) and New York University (Masters of Law in taxation).
Oreck joined the New Orleans law firm of Liskow & Lewis in 1981, where he made partner while working as a tax attorney representing the oil and gas industry. He left in 1992 to form his own firm, Oreck, Crighton, Adams & Chase, which represented Fortune 100 companies in connection with state and local tax issues. This included helping Dow Chemical and other companies get $85 million from the state of Louisiana after a tax on corporate dividends was declared unconstitutional by the Louisiana Supreme Court.
While running his own firm, Oreck also served as vice president and general counsel for his family business, The Oreck Corporation, from 1993 until the company was sold in 2003.
He has also run his own real estate development company focused on historic restorations. The business has renovated and restored more than 100,000 square feet of historic homes and apartment buildings in New Orleans.
Oreck’s other interests include founding the Zero Carbon Initiative to promote environmentally-friendly homes, and serving as a founding member of the board of trustees for the Grand Canyon Trust. In addition, he served as a member of Colorado Governor Bill Ritter’s New Energy transition advisory team and as a member of the Colorado Climate Action Panel.
In possession of one of the leading collections of fine minerals in the United States, Oreck and his wife, Charlotte, are major donors of mineral specimens to museums throughout America. Their financial contributions have gone to both the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and the Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum collections.
Oreck became a supporter of Obama’s during the early days of the presidential primary contest. He eventually served on Obama’s national finance committee, and according to OpenSecrets.org, bundled at least $500,000 to the Democratic nominee’s campaign. Also, Oreck and his wife bundled $75,000 for the president’s inauguration.
Aside from his backing of Obama, Oreck has contributed tens of thousands of dollars to Democratic candidates, including large chunks ($28,500, $25,000, and $15,000) to campaign committees supporting U.S. Senate and House races.
His involvement in politics also includes being a founding member of the Colorado Democracy Alliance, a coordinating council for left-leaning organizations.
Oreck’s enthusiasm for the outdoors has resulted in his camping all over America, throughout Europe and much of East Africa. He also worked as a boatman rowing wooden dories down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon for nearly ten years. His interest in athletics broadened to include body building, and he won the Colorado state men’s masters body-building championship several years in a row.
Bruce J. Oreck Biography (U.S. Department of State)
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