America’s original ally, the first to formally recognize the U.S. as a legitimate nation in 1777, will soon have a new ambassador. Nominated August 1 to serve as the next ambassador to Morocco, businessman Dwight L. Bush, Sr., was a leading campaign contribution bundler for President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign, raising more than $500,000. Bush is the president of D. L. Bush & Associates, a Washington, DC-based financial advisory and business consulting firm. 

Born circa 1958 in East St. Louis, Illinois, Dwight Bush was the fourth of five children raised by Charlie and Jessie Bush, who “committed their entire lives to only one mission: to make sure that their children could fully participate in the American Dream,” according to Bush at his Senate confirmation hearing. Describing East St. Louis as “a town of rich history whose boom and bust cycles reflect both the hope and tragedy of industrial America,” Bush pronounced himself “fortunate to have grown up with the working class families, the great teachers, and the mentors that helped me along the way.”

After earning a B.A. in Government at Cornell University in 1979, Bush joined Chase Manhattan Bank, where he enjoyed a 15-year career that included international corporate banking assignments in Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East, and corporate finance and project finance in New York and Washington, D.C.

After 15 years at Chase, Bush had risen to managing director in the Project Finance Group when he resigned and joined Sallie Mae Corporation, serving as vice president of corporate development from 1994 to 1997.

From 1998 to 2006, Bush worked as a principal at Stuart Mill Capital, LLC; vice president and chief financial officer at SatoTravel Holdings, Inc.; and vice chairman at Enhanced Capital Partners, LLC. 

Bush was president and CEO of Urban Trust Bank, Urban Trust Holdings and president of UTB Education Finance, LLC from 2006 through 2008. He also has worked as vice chairman of EntreMed, Inc. since 2010 and as a director since 2004. 

Bush has worked with a variety of philanthropic and education institutions, including Cornell University, Xavier University (Louisiana), the GAVI Alliance, National Symphony Orchestra, The Vaccine Fund, and the Joint Centers for Social and Economic Studies. He served as a director of JER Investors Trust Inc. until May 28, 2009.

A lifelong Democrat, Bush has made political contributions worth nearly $140,000 over the years, most of it to Democrats, including more than $65,000 to the Democratic National Committee and $5,000 to Barack Obama in 2011. His only donations to Republicans were $500 to Lamar Smith of Texas in 2001, $1,200 to David McSweeney of Illinois in 1998 and 2006, and $2,000 to John McCain in 2000.

Dwight L. Bush, Sr., is married to News Corp attorney Antoinette Cook Bush, with whom he has two children, Dwight Bush Jr. and Jacqueline Bush.

-Matt Bewig

To Learn More:

Biography (Business Week)

Statement Before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (pdf)