Palisadian Named Ambassador to Uruguay

Palisades Highlands resident Frank E. Baxter became the U.S. Ambassador to Uruguay November 7. He will move next week to that country’s capital, Montevideo, where he will represent U.S. interests in the South American country, located between Argentina and Brazil. He was appointed by President George W. Bush on September 15 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on September 29. Baxter is a retired businessman and a prolific philanthropist. He is former chairman of the Alliance for College-Ready Public Schools, a nonprofit organization that has opened seven charter middle schools and high schools in Los Angeles since 2004. At his swearing-in ceremony on November 7 in Washington, D.C., Baxter said: ‘I want to put my experience and relationships in business, education, and the arts at the disposal of the government and people of Uruguay. ‘However, I also want to remember that my creator gave me two ears and one mouth for a reason. I first want to listen carefully and, in the words of Steven Covey, seek first to understand and then to be understood. I also want to work hard to have our citizens become more aware of the Uruguayan people, culture and products.’ Baxter was CEO of the Jefferies Group, a national brokerage, from 1987 to 2000, when he stepped down and became chairman. He was one of the founders of the Club for Growth, a conservative group of Wall Street executives who back congressional candidates. He and his wife, Kathy, have been married 44 years and are active financial contributors to Republican causes. During the 2006 election, they contributed more than $100,000 to the Republican Party and Republican candidates, making them among the largest political contributors in the Palisades. In the 2004 presidential election, Baxter was considered a Pioneer, a title reserved for top George Bush campaign fundraisers. Baxter has visited Asia with Governor Schwarzenegger on state trade missions. In the 2002 gubernatorial campaign, he was the fundraising chairman for fellow Palisadian Bill Simon, who lost to incumbent Gray Davis. Uruguay is one of South America’s most economically prosperous and socially stable countries. The country has maintained friendly ties to the U.S. despite the region’s open mistrust of the Bush administration. Baxter would not return a request for an interview with the Palisadian-Post.