Nomination of Donald Charles Leidel To Be United States Ambassador to Bahrain

The President today announced his intention to nominate Donald Charles Leidel, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador to the State of Bahrain. He would succeed Peter A. Sutherland.

Mr. Leidel served in the United States Air Force in 1951-1954 as first lieutenant. In 1951 and from 1954 to 1962, he was employed with the Central Intelligence Agency serving on administrative duties in Washington, D.C., Vienna, and Frankfurt. From 1962 to 1965, he was chief of the training staff in the Bureau of Personnel in the Department of State. He was personnel officer in Buenos Aires in 1965-1968 and administrative officer in Mexico City in 1968-1972. From 1972 to 1973, he attended the executive seminar in national and international affairs at the Foreign Service Institute. In the Department he was Executive Director in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs in 1973-1977, in the Bureau of European Affairs in 1977-1980, and since 1980 he has been Deputy Director of Management Operations.

Mr. Leidel graduated from the University of Wisconsin (B.A., 1949; LL.B., 1951; J.D., 1966). He is married, has three children, and resides in Washington, D.C. He was born August 31, 1927, in Madison, Wis.