Daniel Yohannes

Daniel Yohannes
United States Ambassador to the OECD
Incumbent
Assumed office May 2, 2014
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Karen Kornbluh
Personal details
Born	(1952-09-22) September 22, 1952 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Saron Yohannes
Alma mater	Claremont McKenna College Pepperdine University

Daniel W. Yohannes (born September 22, 1952) is an Ethiopian-American businessman and philanthropist who is currently the U.S. Ambassador to the OECD.^[1] Confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 9, 2014, he took up his duties on May 2, 2014.

From 2009 to 2014, he was the CEO of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), an independent U.S. foreign aid agency. Before his government service, he worked in the financial services industry, as President of M&R Investments, as well as in various roles at U.S. Bank, Colorado National Bank, and Security Pacific Bank. In July 2006 John Hickenlooper appointed Yohannes to be Co-Chairman of the Greenprint Council, a group charged with overseeing the city of Denver’s sustainability plan, and ^[2] in November 2006, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter named him to oversee his transition team.

Early life and family

Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on September 22, 1952, Yohannes completed elementary school at the Nativity Boy’s School and went on to St. Joseph’s, a prestigious Catholic high school in the Ethiopian capital.^[3] He is fluent in Amharic.

In 1970, at the age of 17, Yohannes immigrated to the United States from Ethiopia. He finished high school in Los Angeles and went on to college, earning a B.A. in Economics from Claremont McKenna College and an M.B.A. from Pepperdine University.^[4]

Daniel Yohannes is married to Saron Yohannes. They have three children.

Career

Financial services

Yohannes began his career in the financial services industry. In 1977, he started at Security Pacific National Bank (now Bank of America) as a management trainee. Working his way up the ranks, Yohannes eventually became Executive Vice President before leaving in 1992. Yohannes then relocated to Denver to work for the First Bank System, serving as President of Colorado National Bank from 1992 to 1999. During his tenure, the bank grew from $2 billion to $9 billion in assets. Also during this time, Colorado National Bank was acquired by U.S. Bank and Yohannes became CEO of U.S. Bank’s Colorado division. Yohannes was subsequently named Vice Chairman and Member of the Management Committee at U.S. Bank. He was named President of the division in 2002, and departed in 2003,^[5] stating that “it was time to do something different."^[6]

Yohannes followed his passion for protecting the environment through practical, sustainable methods by co-founding the New Resource Bank in San Francisco in 2006. The New Resource Bank invests in green projects and environmentally sustainable businesses.

Yohannes also served as President of M&R Investments, an investment firm specializing in real estate, financial institutions and the green sector.

Millennium Challenge Corporation

From left, USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah; U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates; Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton; moderator Frank Sesno, director of the School of Media and Public Affairs at George 100928-D-JB366-103

In September 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Yohannes to serve as CEO of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a U.S. development agency that aims to reduce global poverty by investing in select countries that demonstrate a commitment to good governance.

On November 20, 2009, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmed Yohannes.^[7] Upon his confirmation, Yohannes stated, "It is challenging to replace patronage with partnership and to deliver smart aid that matters by encouraging good policies, country-led development, and sustainable results. MCC offers some important lessons on where to start. MCC lays an innovative foundation to address the complex problem of global poverty."^[7]

Described by CNN as "Obama's man on global development,"^[8] Yohannes brought his private sector expertise to the position, stating that, to bring the greatest returns to American taxpayers, MCC should be run effectively and efficiently, “just like a business." ^[4] Under Yohannes' leadership, MCC started or completed investments of more than $9 billion in 25 countries on projects that lifted more than 173 million people out of poverty.^[9]

Yohannes led two Presidential Delegations while serving as CEO of MCC- the first to Dakar, Senegal for President Macky Sall’s inauguration in April 2012, and the second to Accra, Ghana for the inauguration of President John Dramani Mahama in January 2013. In June 2013, President Obama invited Yohannes to join him during his trip to Africa. Yohannes accompanied the president in Senegal from June 27–28 and in Tanzania from July 1–2, where the U.S. delegation announced the administration's Power Africa initiative, in which MCC plays a role.^[10]

While at the MCC, Yohannes stressed the importance of investment and development to "the economic future and national security of the United States."^[11] Referring to MCC's work in Africa, Yohannes stated that, "in addition to helping many African partners become self sufficient...we're also creating the next markets for American products and services."^[12] Yohannes also advocated for a holistic approach to development that looks beyond capacity-building and production to improving access to markets and fostering trade.^[13]

Yohannes departed MCC for the OECD during its landmark 10th anniversary year, after having helped cement MCC's reputation as an innovative development agency that pushes the envelop on results, evidence-driven decision-making, accountability, and data transparency.

U.S. Ambassador to the OECD

Yohannes took up his duties as U.S. Ambassador to the OECD on May 2, 2014. He was nominated by President Barack Obama on September 11, 2013, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 9, 2014.^[1]

As Ambassador, Yohannes has established investment, development, inequality, tax reform and climate change as top priorities for the United States at the OECD.^[14] He has worked to strengthen ties between the OECD and the business community, leading the United States Delegation to the OECD Global Forum on Responsible Business Conduct in June 2014^[15] and appearing before the BIAC Liaison Committee in January 2015^[16] to underscore the link between innovation and economic growth. He has also been outspoken about the need for a sustained focus on gender at the OECD, arguing that “gender cannot be a side issue, a separate funding stream or an afterthought; it must be woven into the fabric of the organization so that it informs every single issue the OECD addresses.”^[17]

Yohannes has spoken of the value of the OECD to the United States, calling the organization “an extension of U.S. foreign policy” and “a powerful instrument to promote our values worldwide.”^[18]

In July 2015, he published a joint op-ed with OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria, arguing that the United States can lead a global transition towards a more inclusive model of economic growth.^[19] Published in the Huffington Post, the op-ed piece maintains that the United States has a special role to play in addressing the decades-long trend of rising inequality worldwide, and that it can fulfill this role by adopting inclusive growth policies at home and promoting them abroad.

Yohannes has since taken a leading role in promoting inclusive growth at the OECD. In October 2015, he launched the Group of Friends of Inclusive Growth,^[20] with the goal of strengthening the OECD’s Inclusive Growth Initiative by fostering collaboration among OECD members, the private sector and local government leaders. Yohannes supported the creation of the OECD Inclusive Growth in Cities campaign, which seeks to empower local governments as leaders in the transition to more inclusive economic growth. Speaking at the launch in March 2016, Ambassador Yohannes highlighted the critical role mayors can play on this issue, calling them “the first responders on inequality.”

In June 2016, Yohannes co-hosted the first-ever Ethiopian American Policy Briefing at the White House. Giving opening remarks, he told Ethiopian Americans that “America’s melting pot is a recipe for success” and that “what we make of our immigrant experience is up to us.” Yohannes stressed the importance of education and civic engagement to getting ahead, urging participants to “never stop learning” or “stay on the sidelines, insulated or isolated.”^[21]

Community service

Yohannes is active in his community and has served on various boards and civil organizations, including sitting on the Board of Project C.U.R.E (Commission on Urgent Relief & Equipment), an organization that delivers donated medical supplies and equipment to more than 120 developing nations around the world, and the National Jewish Hospital. Yohannes helped to fund the building of a new research and medical facility at the hospital, the Iris and Michael Smith Clinics and Laboratories, which opened in 2007.^[22]

Yohannes served as co-chair of the 23rd G8 summit in Denver, Colorado, in 1997 along with Bill Coors and Gail Schoettler. In this capacity, Yohannes was responsible for raising the funds necessary to host the summit.^[23] Yohannes was recognized in Denver for the significant role he played in making the summit possible.^[24]

Yohannes was also an advocate for Denver Sister Cities International, playing an influential role in pairing Denver with the Ethiopian city of Axum. In 1995, after the match was made official, Yohannes co-led a delegation of Denver officials and business leaders on a visit to Axum.^[25]

Yohannes has served the arts community through his presence on the Smithsonian National Board and the Board of Directors of Media One (now Comcast).^[26]

In 2006, while serving on the Board of Trustees of Denver Art Museum, Yohannes and his family endowed the museum’s first African art gallery. Beyond providing the new gallery space in the museum, Yohannes aided in expanding the museum’s African art collection.^[27]

He has also lent his expertise to his community by serving on the boards of the University of Washington Michael G. Foster School of Business, the Pacific Coast Banking School, the Boy Scouts of America, the First Western Trust Bank, the New Resource Bank, and the Board of Advisors for the University of Colorado Medical School.

Memberships and Honors

In February 2013, outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton awarded Yohannes with the State Department’s highest honor, the Secretary’s Distinguished Service Award.^[28]

In June 2013, Yohannes was invited to join the Council of Foreign Relations.^[29]

In 2013, Yohannes was named to Washington Life Magazine’s Power 100 list.

Similarly, in 2012, he was included on Paris-based The Africa Report’s list of the top 50 most influential Africans.

Three foreign governments have also recognized Yohannes’ service and leadership. The Government of the Philippines awarded him its Citation of the Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Grand Cross, Silver Distinction in October 2014. Benin honored him with its National Order of Merit, Commander. Yohannes also received the Honduran Medal of Merit, Commander.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Daniel Yohannes.

• U.S. Mission to the OECD
• Millennium Challenge Corporation
• CNN Profile
• US Bank
• Denver Art Museum
• Appearances on C-SPAN