Embassy Baghdad's Deputy Chief of Mission Wins Prestigious Award

Those of us serving on PRTs are very proud that Pat Butenis, Embassy Baghdad's Deputy Chief of Mission, has been selected to receive the 2008 James A. Baker III - C. Howard Wilkins, Jr. Award for Outstanding Deputy Chief of Mission. Here are excerpts from the official announcement:

The Selection Committee chose Ms. Butenis for rebuilding Embassy Baghdad, for managing, defending, and developing its staff, and for advancing America's most important foreign policy priorities.

This award, made possible by C. Howard Wilkins, Jr., former U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands, is presented to an outstanding Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge d'Affaires in the Ambassador's absence. The award consists of a certificate signed by the Secretary and $5,000.

The Selection Committee was chaired by Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte. Its members included Joyce A. Barr, Director of the East Asia/Pacific Bureau's Executive Office; Judith A. Chammas, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Human Resources in the Director General's Office; Jeffrey D. Feltman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Near East Asia Affairs; and Christopher R. Hill, Assistant Secretary for East Asia/Pacific Affairs.