World Affairs Council
of Orange County
presents
The Honorable Ronald E. Neumann
Former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan
Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Election of Trustees
“Afghanistan for the long haul: Is it possible and worthwhile?”
In honor of Ambassador Neumann’s service in Afghanistan, the traditional reception will begin at the earlier time of 5:30 p.m. to allow for a special presentation at the reception, "Fashion Show: Traditional Ethnic Clothes of Afghanistan" featuring students from local colleges who will later join the various tables as scholarship guests, made possible by the generous donations of Ralph Tomlinson, Norm Tanber and Libby Pankey. Please arrive earlier and join us for this unique opportunity.
Date: Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Location: Fairmont Newport Beach
4500 MacArthur Blvd., Newport Beach, Ca. 92660
Valet Parking: Special Discounted Price - $4
5:30 pm Reception * 7:00 pm Dinner * 7:45 pm Program
Members @ $55 Non-Members @ $70 Students @ $40
Formerly a Deputy Assistant Secretary, Ronald E. Neumann served three times as Ambassador; to Algeria, Bahrain and finally to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan from July 2005 to April 2007. Before Afghanistan, Mr. Neumann, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, served in Baghdad from February 2004 with the Coalition Provisional Authority and then as Embassy Baghdad’s principal interlocutor with the Multinational Command, where he was deeply involved in coordinating the political part of military action.
Prior to working in Iraq, he was Chief of Mission in Manama, Bahrain. Before that, Ambassador Neumann served as a Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Near East Affairs, where he directed the organization of the first separately-funded NEA democracy programs and also was responsible for the bureau’s work in developing the North African Economic Initiative for Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria. Before that assignment, he was Ambassador to Algeria and Director of the Office of Northern Gulf Affairs (Iran and Iraq). Ambassador Neumann is the author of The Other War: Winning and Losing in Afghanistan, a book on his time in Afghanistan. At the Academy he has focused particularly on efforts to expand State and USAID personnel to enable these institutions to carry out their responsibilities. He earned a B.A. in history and an M.A. in political science from the University of California at Riverside. He is married to the former M. Elaine Grimm. They have two children. 
