Ambassador of the United States to New Zealand and Samoa
Seal of the United States Department of State
Incumbent
Tom Udall
since December 2, 2021
NominatorThe President of the United States
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Inaugural holderPatrick J. Hurley
as Envoy
FormationApril 24, 1942
WebsiteU.S. Embassy - Wellington

The United States has maintained a consular presence in New Zealand since 1838. The first consul was James Reddy Clendon. Born in England, Clendon was a ship owner and merchant who bought land and settled in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand. In 1838 he was appointed by the federal government of the United States as consul for New Zealand. He was based at his property at Okiato, which in 1840 became the capital and was renamed Russell (not to be confused with present-day Russell). He held this position until 1841.

On July 16, 2021 President Joe Biden nominated former Senator Tom Udall to serve as United States Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa.[1] He was confirmed by the Senate on October 26, 2021 and the start of his tenure began on December 2, 2021.[2]

The Ambassador to New Zealand is also accredited to Samoa though resident in Wellington.

List of United States ambassadors to New Zealand

Name and title Presentation of
credentials 		Termination of
mission
Patrick J. Hurley, Envoy April 24, 1942 August 12, 1942
William C. Burdett, Envoy July 8, 1943 January 14, 1944
Kenneth S. Patton, Envoy August 15, 1944 Oct 22, 1945
Avra M. Warren, Envoy February 27, 1946 Jul 15, 1947
Robert M. Scotten, Envoy April 7, 1948 December 22, 1948
Robert M. Scotten, Ambassador December 22, 1948 February 1, 1955
Robert C. Hendrickson, Ambassador February 16, 1955 November 20, 1956
Francis H. Russell, Ambassador June 5, 1957 November 28, 1960
Anthony B. Akers, Ambassador July 18, 1961 August 25, 1963
Herbert B. Powell, Ambassador October 23, 1963 February 28, 1967
John F. Henning, Ambassador April 5, 1967 September 9, 1969
Kenneth Franzheim II, Ambassador October 7, 1969 November 1, 1972
Chalmers B. Wood, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim November 1972 April 1974
Armistead I. Selden, Jr., Ambassador April 22, 1974 April 23, 1979
Anne Clark Martindell, Ambassador August 28, 1979 May 7, 1981
H. Monroe Browne, Ambassador August 11, 1981 November 1, 1985
Paul Matthews Cleveland, Ambassador January 10, 1986 April 28, 1989
Della M. Newman, Ambassador October 25, 1989 December 21, 1992
David Walker, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim December 21, 1992 August 1993
Sylvia Stanfield, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim August 1993 May 10, 1994
Josiah Horton Beeman, Ambassador May 10, 1994 December 9, 1999
Carol Moseley Braun, Ambassador December 15, 1999 March 1, 2001
Philip Wall, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim March 1, 2001 October 12, 2001
Charles J. Swindells, Ambassador October 12, 2001 August 21, 2005
David R. Burnett, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim August 22, 2005 November 8, 2005
William McCormick, Ambassador November 9, 2005 December 20, 2008
David J. Keegan, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim December 20, 2008 August 21, 2009
David Huebner, Ambassador December 4, 2009 January 17, 2014
Mark Gilbert, Ambassador February 9, 2015 January 20, 2017
Candy Green, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim January 20, 2017 June 2017
Scott Brown, Ambassador July 27, 2017 December 20, 2020
Kevin Covert, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim December 20, 2020 December 2, 2021
Tom Udall December 2, 2021 Incumbent

See also

References

  1. ^ "President Biden Announces Seven Key Nominations" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. July 16, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  2. ^ "PN918 — Tom Udall — Department of State 117th Congress (2021-2022)". US Congress. Retrieved November 19, 2021.

External links

Ambassadors of the United States
Categories