John R. Dawson was sworn in as American Ambassador to the Republic of Peru on November 20, 2002. A career Foreign Service Officer, he joined the service in 1975 and became a member of the Senior Foreign Service in 1993.
Previously, Ambassador Dawson served as Director of the Office of Mexican Affairs at the Department of State. Prior to that, he was Deputy Chief of Mission at the American Embassy in San Salvador. He also served as Country Director for Panama, Office Director for Andean Affairs, and as Economic Counselor in both Panama and Costa Rica. Early in his career, he held positions as Financial Economist at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York, the U.S. Mission to the OECD in Paris, as well as in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro.
Ambassador Dawson was the recipient of the 1991 Herbert Salzman Award for Excellence in International Economic Performance. He has also received a Presidential Meritorious Service Award and the Department's Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards.
Mr. Dawson was born in Kansas City in 1950 and lived in Latin America for much of his childhood. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors from the University pf Michigan in 1973, majoring in economics and Latin American studies. He then attended the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, receiving a Masters of Arts in Law and Diplomacy degree in 1975.
Mr. Dawson was married to the former Susana Bonielle of Oceanside, New York.
Amb. Dawson died on August 1, 2003 while serving as Ambassador to Peru. His passing has saddened his many friends and colleagues in the United States and throughout the world.
