Ronald I. Spiers

Ronald I. Spiers
Deane Roesch Hinton
Personal details
Born	(1925-07-09)July 9, 1925 Orange, New Jersey, U.S.
Died	June 24, 2021(2021-06-24) (aged 95) Exeter, New Hampshire, U.S.
Spouse	Patience Baker

Ronald Ian "Ron" Spiers (July 9, 1925 – June 24, 2021) was an American diplomat who served as an Ambassador to several countries during the 1970s and 1980s.

Early life and military career

Spiers was born in Orange, New Jersey in July 1925 but grew up in Peru, London, Paris and Brussels. During World War II, he served as an Ensign in the United States Navy in the war's Pacific theater. He later became the commanding officer of an amphibious landing craft.

Spiers graduated from Madison (NJ) High School in 1943, then attended

degree in 1950.

Government service

After graduating from Princeton, Spiers became a foreign affairs specialist with the

U.S. Foreign Service

, in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs. During his AEC career he conceived the proposal for what became the International Atomic Energy Agency.

During his career with the

.

In 1964 Spiers became director of

Ambassador to Pakistan

in 1981.

On August 4, 1983, President Ronald Reagan nominated Spiers to be Under Secretary of State for Management. He served through the Reagan Administration as Undersecretary of State. In 1989, President George H. W. Bush recommended him for selection as Undersecretary General of the United Nations for Political Affairs. In this position Spiers became the highest-ranking American citizen in the United Nations Secretariat.

Spiers retired in March 1992 with two Presidential Distinguished Executive Service Awards and the rank of

, an honorary rank he was accorded by the President and the US Senate in 1984. Equivalent to "four star" military rank it is reserved for a small number of career Foreign Service officers who have served with distinction in the highest positions of the Foreign Service.

Life after government service

In 2004 Spiers again returned to the public eye when he joined

Works

• "The Anatomy of Terrorism" (
  PDF
  ). Foreign Service Journal. September 2004. pp. 43–47, 49–50.
• "Where Are We Going From Here?" Overseas Democrat. August 21, 2003.
• "Terrorism: How Do You Know When You Win?" (PDF). Vermont Rutland Herald. March 24, 2004.
• "Map to Peace: Going Nowhere Fast" (PDF). Vermont Rutland Herald. September 2, 2003.

References

• Brief biography from a press release of Vermont Governor Jim Douglas's office.

External links

• Ronald I. Spiers at The Political Graveyard

Government offices
Preceded by None	Director of the Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs September 18, 1969 – August 2, 1973	Succeeded by Seymour Weiss
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Moncrieff J. Spear as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim	United States Ambassador to the Bahamas September 7, 1973–September 2, 1974	Succeeded by Seymour Weiss
Preceded by William B. Macomber, Jr.	United States Ambassador to Turkey 1977 – 1980	Succeeded by James W. Spain
Preceded by Arthur W. Hummel, Jr.	United States Ambassador to Pakistan 1981 – 1983	Succeeded by Deane Roesch Hinton
Government offices
Preceded by William G. Bowdler	Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research January 28, 1980 – October 4, 1981	Succeeded by Hugh Montgomery
Preceded by Jerome W. Van Gorkom	Under Secretary of State for Management November 23, 1983 – May 15, 1989	Succeeded by Ivan Selin