Nomination of William J. Dyess To Be United States Ambassador to the Netherlands

The President today announced his intention to nominate William J. Dyess, of Alabama, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, vice Geri M. Joseph, resigned.

Mr. Dyess entered the Foreign Service in 1958 and served in the Department as exchange program officer, and then intelligence research specialist. In 1960-61 he attended Serbo-Croatian language training at the Foreign Service Institute. He was political officer in Belgrade (1961-63) and in Copenhagen (1963-65). In 1965 he attended Russian language training at the Foreign Service Institute. In 1966-68 he was administrative officer, then political officer, in Moscow and political officer at the United States Mission Berlin, in 1968-70. In the Department, he was international relations officer (1970-75), Executive Director of the Bureau of Public Affairs (1975-77), and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs (1977-80). Since 1980 he has been Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs.

Mr. Dyess graduated from the University of Alabama (B.A., 1950; M.A., 1951). He served in the U.S. Army in 1953-56. He received the Meritorious Honor Award in 1973. Mr. Dyess is married, has one child, and resides in Washington, D.C. He was born August 1, 1929, in Troy, Ala.