The President today announced his intention to nominate Richard Fairbanks, of the District of Columbia, as Ambassador at Large. Mr. Fairbanks had previously served as Special Negotiator for the Middle East Peace Process for the past 2 years. Prior to that he was Assistant Secretary of State for Congressional Relations (1981-1982).
Mr. Fairbanks served in the United States Navy in 1962-1966 as lieutenant. He was an associate attorney in the law firm of Arnold and Porter in Washington, DC, in 1969-1971. In 1971 he was Special Assistant to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. He was with the President's Domestic Council as staff assistant (1971-1972), and Associate Director for National Resources, Energy and Environment (1972-1974). In 1974-1977 he was a member of the Citizen's Advisory Council on Environmental Quality. In 1974-1981 he was the founding partner in the law firm of Beveridge, Fairbanks and Diamond in Washington, DC.
Mr. Fairbanks received his A.B. (1962) from Yale University and J.D., magna cum laude, (1969) from Columbia University Law School. His foreign languages are reading knowledge of French and Spanish. He was born February 10, 1941, in Indianapolis, IN.
Note: Larry M. Speakes, Principal Deputy Press Secretary to the President, announced the nomination during his daily press briefing in the Briefing Room at the White House. He also read the following information about Mr. Fairbank's responsibilities:
Mr. Fairbanks will focus on two particular areas—nonnuclear energy issues and long-term United States strategy toward the Pacific Basin. He will engage in planning related to the potential interruption of oil supplies and the development of indigenous and other sources of natural gas. In addition, he will seek ways to protect United States interests in the Pacific region and to take advantage of trade opportunities. He will seek to support the Vice President's efforts to resolve our bilateral and capital-flow problems with Japan and also to work to expand opportunities for sale of nonnuclear energy to Japan.
Ronald Reagan, Nomination of Richard Fairbanks To Be Ambassador at Large Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/260627
