In choosing James H. Thessin as ambassador to Paraguay, President Barack Obama selected a career member of the Senior Executive Service who, previously, had never served overseas in almost 30 years with the State Department. Thessin was nominated on April 7, 2011, however he has not yet been confirmed.

 

Born April 19, 1948, in Milwaukee, Thessin received an AA at Father Judge Mission Seminary, an AB from Catholic University (1971) and a JD from Harvard Law School (1974).

 

His early career was spent as an antitrust attorney for the Federal Trade Commission (1974-1978), counsel for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (1978-1981) and senior litigation attorney for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (1981-1982),

 

Thessin joined the State Department in 1982 as attorney-adviser for Political-Military Affairs.. rom 1984-85, he served as Assistant Legal Adviser for Human Rights and Refugee Affairs. In 1986 he began working as assistant legal advisor for managaement. He also joined the Office of Government Ethics, and in 1990 he was named the State Department’s Designated Agency Ethics Official. That same year, he became deputy legal adviser for the State Department, providing legal advice on contracting, legislation, diplomatic immunity, and personnel issues.

 

Thessin and his wife, Marcia, have a son and a daughter.

-David Wallechinsky, Noel Brinkerhoff

 

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts, 4/7/2011 (White House)

Confirmation Hearing Testimony (pdf)

Biography (Bush Administration State Department)