Mark Evans Austad

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Mark Evans Austad
United States Ambassador to Finland
In office
March 20, 1975 – April 14, 1977
PresidentGerald Ford
Preceded byV. John Krehbiel
Succeeded byRozanne L. Ridgway
Personal details
Born
Marcus Jacob Austad

(1917-04-01)April 1, 1917
Ogden, Utah, U.S.
DiedOctober 20, 1988(1988-10-20) (aged 71)
Arizona, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseLola Brown Austad
Children3

Mark Evans Austad (April 1, 1917 – October 20, 1988

United States Ambassador to Norway from 1981 to 1984, under Ronald Reagan.[2]

Biography

Austad was born Marcus Jacob Austad

student body president and active in public speaking, in which he won first place in national competitions. Austad married the former Lola Brown in 1942 and they had three daughters.[7]

Throughout his life Austad was active in the LDS Church,[6] and in addition to his missionary service he was also a Sunday School teacher in the 1970s in Washington, D.C.,[3] and was ordained as a High Priest.[10]

Broadcasting

Austad passed up law school for an opportunity to work in radio

WRGH. Among his duties was hosting a weekly program with prominent Washington personalities, such as First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. In late 1942 Austad also worked part-time for WWDC and then full-time upon his military discharge in 1945. After two years, he moved to the CBS station WTOP where he succeeded Arthur Godfrey on his own morning show.[4][6][7]

Starting in 1960, Austad became a commentator at

documentaries, including an award-winner on pollution called 1985,[1] several on world topics, and one on his visit with Albert Schweitzer.[7]

Civic activity

Austad participated with various civic and national organizations. He served as a member of the citizens advisory board of the

Boy Scouts of America, where he participated for over 25 years.[8] He was invited on eight occasions to speak before the National Geographic Society.[6] For his "deep commitment to freedom and a strong national defense", in 1987 he received the Bronze Minuteman, the highest award of the Utah National Guard.[4]

In 1971, in this period of civic involvement, Austad received an

Weber State College, his alma mater.[7][10] The school would also later honor Austad by naming its largest theater in its fine arts center The Mark Evans Austad Auditorium.[11]

Austad served for two years as chairman of Washington D.C.'s

U.S. bicentennial celebration.[3][7]

Austad served on the

General Assembly of the United Nations.[3] After Nixon's presidential resignation, his successor Gerald Ford appointed Austad as Ambassador to Finland. In 1980 Austad would again serve on an inaugural committee, this time for Ronald Reagan's first election, after which he was again appointed as an ambassador, this time to Norway.[7]

Ambassadorships

After his service to the Nixon administration and visibility in the Washington, D.C., community, Austad was appointed Ambassador to Finland in 1975. In this role, he was also a delegate to the Helsinki

Order of the White Rose and Order of the Lion.[7]

In 1981, while living in

wire services. Austad sued Private Eye for libel and they settled for a "substantial sum", for damages and legal expenses, and printed an apology stating their "article constituted a most serious and damaging libel upon Ambassador Austad." Austad dismissed the controversy, saying Norway's largest newspaper, Aftenposten, praised him as the best U.S. ambassador they had ever had.[13]

Death

Austad died in 1988 at age 71 in Arizona. His funeral was held in Ogden, Utah, and his body was buried in Lindquist Washington Heights Memorial Park.[4]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d "Ronald Reagan: Nomination of Mark Evans Austad To Be United States Ambassador to Norway". Public Papers of the Presidents. The American Presidency Project. December 1, 1981. Retrieved 2009-07-07.
  2. ^ a b c "Mark E. Austad, 71; A Former Ambassador". The New York Times. October 25, 1988. p. B7. Retrieved 2009-07-07.
  3. ^ a b c d e "LDS Scene". Ensign: 92–93. November 1973. Retrieved 2009-07-09.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Ex-envoy to Norway dies at 71". Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah. October 23, 1988. Retrieved 2009-07-09.
  5. ^ He changed his name to Mark Evans Austad in the 1940s.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h "Mark Evans Austad". Deseret News. October 25, 1988. Archived from the original on September 19, 2012. Retrieved 2009-07-07.
  7. ^
    Weber State College Stewart Library Special Collections. July 1983. pp. v–vi. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 2010-07-08. Retrieved 2009-07-07.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Member Named U.N. Delegate". Church News. Deseret News. September 22, 1973. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
  9. ^ "Church Member Nominated Ambassador to Finland". Ensign. Salt Lake City, Utah: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: 78. March 1975. Retrieved 2009-07-07.
  10. ^ a b c "Former envoy to Finland is chosen for Norway post". Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah. August 22, 1981. Archived from the original on October 21, 2015. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
  11. ^ "Mark Evans Austad Auditorium". Val A Browning Center for the Performing Arts. Weber State University. Archived from the original on 2008-10-07. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
  12. ^ Bowen, Norman R. (June 8, 1982). "'Anchorman Austad' is a genial ambassador". Deseret News. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
  13. ^ a b "Ex-envoy wins settlement with London newspaper". Deseret News. March 23, 1986. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
  14. ^ a b c Kitfield, James (September 5, 2001). "Tapping donors for diplomatic posts carries risks". National Journal. Retrieved 2009-07-09.
  15. ^ Sarlin, Benjamin (February 20, 2009). "Obama's Man in London". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2009-07-09.
  16. ^
    United States Government Printing Office
    : H 3441 (PDF page 39). Retrieved 2009-07-09.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
United States Ambassador to Finland

1975–1977 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Sidney Anders Rand
United States Ambassador to Norway

1981–1984 		Succeeded by
Robert D. Stuart
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