Jon Huntsman | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2018 | |
| United States Ambassador to Russia | |
| In office October 3, 2017 – October 3, 2019 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | John F. Tefft |
| Succeeded by | John Sullivan |
| United States Ambassador to China | |
| In office August 28, 2009 – April 28, 2011 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Clark T. Randt Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Gary Locke |
| 16th Governor of Utah | |
| In office January 3, 2005 – August 11, 2009 | |
| Lieutenant | Gary Herbert |
| Preceded by | Olene Walker |
| Succeeded by | Gary Herbert |
| United States Deputy Trade Representative | |
| In office August 3, 2001 – April 2, 2003 | |
| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Susan Esserman |
| Succeeded by | Josette Sheeran |
| United States Ambassador to Singapore | |
| In office September 22, 1992 – June 15, 1993 | |
| President | George H. W. Bush Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Robert D. Orr |
| Succeeded by | Ralph L. Boyce |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jon Meade Huntsman Jr. March 26, 1960 Redwood City, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 7, including Abby |
| Relatives | Jon Huntsman Sr. (father) Peter R. Huntsman (brother) |
| Education | University of Pennsylvania (BA) |
| Signature |  |
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Business career
Governor of Utah
Ambassadorships
Presidential campaign
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Jon Meade Huntsman Jr. (born March 26, 1960) is an American businessman, diplomat, and politician who served as the 16th governor of Utah from 2005 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the ambassador of the United States to Russia from 2017 to 2019, ambassador to China from 2009 to 2011, and ambassador to Singapore from 1992 to 1993.
Huntsman served in every presidential administration from the presidency of Ronald Reagan to the first Donald Trump administration. He began his career as a White House staff assistant for Ronald Reagan, and was appointed deputy assistant secretary of commerce and U.S. ambassador to Singapore by George H. W. Bush. Later as deputy U.S. trade representative under George W. Bush, he launched global trade negotiations in Doha in 2001 and guided the accession of China into the World Trade Organization. He served as CEO of Huntsman Family Holdings, a private entity that held the stock the family owned in Huntsman Corporation. He has also served as a board member of Huntsman Corporation, and as chair of the Huntsman Cancer Foundation. Huntsman is the only American ambassador to have served in both Russia and China,[1] having been the U.S. ambassador to China under Barack Obama from 2009 to 2011 and as the U.S. ambassador to Russia under Donald Trump from 2017 to 2019.
While governor of Utah, Huntsman was named chair of the Western Governors Association and joined the executive committee of the National Governors Association. Under his leadership, Utah was named the best-managed state in America by the Pew Center on the States.[2] During his tenure, Huntsman was one of the most popular governors in the country, and won reelection in a landslide in 2008, winning every single county. He left office with approval ratings over 80 percent and was succeeded by Lieutenant Governor Gary Herbert.[3] He was an unsuccessful candidate for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.[4] He ran for governor again in 2020, but narrowly lost in the Republican primary to Lieutenant Governor Spencer Cox.[5]
Huntsman now serves as a No Labels National Co-chair, and on July 17, 2023, he appeared with US senator Joe Manchin as headliners for a No Labels Common Sense Agenda Town Hall in Manchester, New Hampshire.[6] Huntsman is a member of the Defense Policy Board Advisory Committee.[7]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
ManInMoscowwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "The New Faces of the GOP New York Daily News". Daily News. May 11, 2009. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
- ^ "Huntsman, lawmakers' ratings soar". Deseret News. March 23, 2009. Archived from the original on March 27, 2009. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
- ^ Haberman, Maggie (June 14, 2011). "Jon Huntsman 2012 presidential announcement coming June 21". Politico. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
- ^ "Huntsman loses GOP primary in Utah". POLITICO. July 6, 2020.
- ^ Bowman, Bridget (July 12, 2023). "Joe Manchin and Jon Huntsman to headline No Labels town hall". NBC News. Retrieved August 12, 2023.
- ^ "Defense Policy Board". policy.defense.gov. Retrieved September 25, 2024.