Nomination of Charles E. Cobb, Jr., To Be United States Ambassador to Iceland

The President today announced his intention to nominate Charles E. Cobb, Jr., to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Iceland. He would succeed Nicholas Ruwe.

Since 1987 Mr. Cobb has served as Under Secretary for Travel and Tourism at the Department of Commerce. Prior to this, he served as chairman and chief executive officer of Arvida Disney Corp., 1983 - 1987. He was senior vice president and chief operating officer and director of the Penn Central Corp., 1982 - 1983, and group president of the Penn Central Corp., 1980 - 1982. In addition, he served as president and chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Arvida Corp., 1972 - 1980, and president and chief financial officer of several subsidiaries of Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corp., 1964 - 1972.

Mr. Cobb graduated from Stanford University (B.A., 1958; M.B.A., 1962). He was born May 9, 1936, in Fresno, CA. He served in the U.S. Navy, 1958 - 1960. He is married, has two children, and resides in Miami, FL.