The Foreign Service Journal, April 2003

Sarasota/Manatee Counties, and the Sarasota Instituteof LifetimeLearning. He has worked tirelessly as a Foreign Service recruiter, greeter, briefer, speaker andorga- nizer to better acquaint as many citizens as possible with their nation’s role in the world, and the important roleofU.S. diplo- macy. Behoteguy’s dynamic approachhas made his programs models for others to followinbroadening thenational dialogue on foreign affairs and has made him an invaluable asset to AFSA’s own outreach efforts. Behoteguy has truly sustained and enhanced the many organizations in whichhe has participated. There is noway to measure the extent to which the Sarasota, Venice and Bradenton regions, and the United States government, are indebted to this special person and com- munity leader. Largely through his per- sonal efforts, hundreds of outstanding diplomats andother specialists have come to the area and been given a platform on which international issues couldbe debat- ed by local citizenry. After receiving a B.A. from Wooster College and anM.A. from the University ofPennsylvania, Behoteguy servedwithdis- tinction in theNavyduringWorldWar II. He then began civilian work with the ForeignLiquidationCommission and the Economic Cooperation Administration (the famous Marshall Plan) in Paris, fol- lowedby a number of high-level posts for theAgency for InternationalDevelopment inWashington, D.C., Cameroon, Turkey, Tunisia and Haiti before retiring in Sarasota in the mid-1970’s. AFSA is proud to salute Scott Behoteguy for his outstanding work in helping to build a solid domestic con- stituency for the U.S. Foreign Service and for American diplomacy. ▫ 6 AFSA NEWS • APRIL 2003 Awards • Continued from page 1 A FSA has honored eight retirees thus far with the newly established National Alumni Service Award. The first recipients of this awardwere: Scott L. Behoteguy; William J. Cunningham; Ambassador JamesD. Rosenthal; E. Victor Niemeyer Jr.; Marguerite Cooper; Lillian P.Mullin; Ambassador Robert J. RyanSr.; and Vernon L. Merrill. Following are brief summaries of the winners’ achievements in helping build public support for American diplomacy and the Foreign Service. (Scott Behoteguy is covered in a separate article.) Marguerite Cooper MargueriteCooperwas presentedwith her awardbyAmbassador Ray Ewing and AFSA Retiree Liaison Ward Thompson, whowere visitingCalifornia in January for anAFSAElderhostel program. Shewas rec- ognized for her strong dedication to improving public dialogue on foreign affairs. Following her retirement fromthe ForeignService in1987, Cooper took time fromher activities as a political and social activist to work as a volunteer in AFSA’s legislative effort. After settling inCalifornia in the mid-1990s, she established ties to other Foreign Service retirees and found- ed the Foreign Affairs Association of South and Central California. As chair of this association, she has continued to sup- port AFSA outreach efforts to the public, Congress and the media, and has provid- ed key assistance in establishing the Elderhostel Foreign Service program in Ventura County. William J. Cunningham William Cunningham was given the award in recognition of his extraordinary achievements in promoting awareness of foreign affairs and the Foreign Service throughout theHoustonmetropolitanarea. Since his retirement from the Foreign Service in 1982, Cunningham has served as chairmanof theCenter for International Studies and an associate professor emeri- tus at theUniversity of St. Thomas, and as chairman and chief executive officer of the Houston World Affairs Council. A fre- quent speaker on foreign affairs and a recruiter for the Foreign Service, he regu- larly draws on his broad academic, media and business contacts to further commu- nitydialogueon foreignaffairs. Hehas also taken a leading role in bringing together ForeignService retirees in the area andhas provided invaluable assistance in arrang- ing outreachopportunities for AFSAgov- erningboardmemberswhenever they visit Houston. Vernon L. Merrill Vernon L. Merrill received the award in recognition of his long-time leadership role in the Foreign Service Retirees Association of the State of Washington. Merrill was one of the co-founders of that association in 1982, on settling in Washingtonafter retiring fromtheForeign Service andpursuing abusiness career. He served as secretary of the association for many years and in that capacity he signif- icantly strengthened the sense of commu- nity among Foreign Service retirees in the state. The association’s members serve as speakers on foreignaffairs to a broad range of service clubs in the area. Under Merrill’s leadership, theassociationhasbeen RECOGNIZING RETIREES IN ACTION Outstanding Retirees Receive National Alumni Service Award Ambassador Ray Ewing presents the National Alumni Service Award to Marguerite Cooper during a California Elderhostel program. Behoteguy’s dynamic approach has made his programs models for others to follow.