September 2008

Former Budapest DCM Heading to Skopje as U.S. Ambassador - Hungary Honors a Good Friend in Philip Reeker

On September 20, Ambassador and Mrs. Somogyi hosted the new U.S. Ambassador to Skopje, Philip Reeker and his wife, Solveig, in their home to say farewell and thank them for their friendship for Hungary.

Ambassador and Mrs. Somogyi hosting Ambassador and Mrs. Reeker at their Residence

A career diplomat of the United States, Mr. Reeker served in Budapest from 1993 to 1996 as Assistant Information Officer as well as from 2004 to 2007 as Deputy Chief of Mission. He was Deputy Spokesman and Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Public Affairs from 2000-2003.  He worked as the Public Affairs Officer in Skopje from 1997 to 1999.  He was spokesman for Ambassador Christopher R. Hill and for the Rambouillet Process (Kosovo peace talks). His latest assignment was in Iraq as Counselor to the Ambassador for Public Affairs.

U.S. Chief of Protocol Nancy Brinker reading Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány's congratulatory letter to Reeker at the swearing-in

Philip Reeker was sworn in as the new U.S. Ambassador to Skopje at a ceremony hosted by U.S. Chief of Protocol Nancy G. Brinker at the State Department's Benjamin Franklin Room on September 10, 2008. At the ceremony, Ambassador Brinker read the letter of Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány congratulating Mr. Reeker and thanking him for his relentless support for U.S.-Hungarian relations. Click here to read the Prime Minister's letter

Philip Reeker signing the documents of his appointment as Ambassador to Skopje with his family looking on

Born in Pennsylvania, Mr. Reeker grew up in several parts of the United States, and in Australia.  He received a BA from Yale in 1986, and an MBA from the Thunderbird School of International Management in 1991.

Congratulations, Ambassador Reeker and all the best!