Samuel L. Kaplan was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to Morocco on September 18, 2009. He earned his B.B.A. degree from the University of Minnesota in 1957 and his J.D. degree from the University of Minnesota in 1960. He worked as an adjunct professor of law during the early years following law school graduation, and is often a visiting lecturer at law schools and a speaker at continuing legal education programs. Kaplan is a founding member and president of the law firm of Kaplan, Strangis and Kaplan, P.A., established in Minneapolis in 1978. Kaplan has served on the boards of directors of several publicly held companies, and at present sits on the board of investment bank PiperJaffray. With his business partner Ralph Strangis, Kaplan owns numerous nursing homes and senior housing facilities in the Upper Midwest, apartment facilities in the St. Cloud, Minnesota area. In 1988, Kaplan and Strangis organized Windsor Bancshares, Inc. which owned Bank Windsor, operating at several locations in the State of Minnesota. That company was later acquired by Associated Banc-Corp. Kaplan was also an organizer and former president and director of Banking Corporation of Florida, which owned First Florida Bank in Naples, Florida. That company was later acquired by Synovus Financial Corp.