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| Financial Backer, Drug Policy Advisor | | Submitted by Anonymous | 2006-05-07 21:16:12 |
Ambassador Mel Sembler was appointed by President George W. Bush as Ambassador to Italy and on November 16, 2001, was sworn in by Vice President Cheney at a White House ceremony.
Ambassador Sembler, the former United States Ambassador to Australia and Nauru, was most recently the Chairman of the Board of The Sembler Company, one of the nation's leading shopping center developers. He is nationally recognized as an activist in the anti-drug campaign and as a staunch, long-time supporter of the Republican Party and its candidates.
As a developer, Sembler is recognized for building The Sembler Company into one of the country's most recognized shopping center development firms. In 1986-1987, Sembler served as the international leader and spokesman for the shopping center industry as President of the 40,000-member International Council of Shopping Centers, a position that capped 25 years of active service to this worldwide trade association.
Sembler's work as a civic and political activist is equally noteworthy. A supporter of George H.W. Bush since 1979, Sembler played a leadership role in raising funds for the Bush for President campaign. He was Finance Co-Chairman of The American Bicentennial Presidential Inaugural, raising the dollars needed for the nation's 41st inauguration of the President of the United States.
In February 1989, President George H.W. Bush appointed Sembler United States Ambassador to Australia and Nauru. As the President's personal representative, he actively promoted United States' interests abroad during his three and one-half years' service. At the recommendation of the Governor-General of Australia and with the approval of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, Sembler was named an Honorary Officer in the Order of Australia at an investiture ceremony in October 2000. The Order of Australia is an Australian society of honor for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and is rarely given to foreigners.
Although best known as a leading shopping center developer, Sembler is also renowned for his activism in the anti-drug movement. In 1976, Sembler and his wife founded STRAIGHT, an adolescent drug treatment program. During its 17 years of existence, STRAIGHT successfully graduated more than 12,000 young people nationwide from its remarkable program.
Sembler served as Finance Chairman for the Republican National Committee from 1997 to 2000. He also served as Florida's National Committeeman to the Republican National Committee after his election in 1994 until 2000. Prior to his appointment as Ambassador to Italy, Sembler was the Honorary Chairman of the Republican Jewish Coalition and Chairman of the Drug Free America Foundation, and served on the boards of the International Council of Shopping Centers, the Florida Governor's Mansion Foundation, and the Florida Holocaust Museum, and was a resident member of the Florida Council of 100, a business advisory group to the Governor of Florida. He continues to serve on the boards of the George Bush Presidential Library Foundation and the American Australian Education Leadership Foundation.
Born in 1930 in St. Joseph, Missouri, Sembler is a 1952 graduate of Northwestern University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree.
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