Gentry O. Smith
{{Short description|American diplomat (born 1959)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Gentry Smith
| image = Gentry Smith, Assistant Secretary of State 2.jpg
| office = Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security
| president = Joe Biden
| term_start = August 12, 2021
| term_end = January 20, 2025
| predecessor = Michael Evanoff
| successor = Carlos Matus (Acting)
| office1 = Director of the Office of Foreign Missions
| president1 = Barack Obama
| term_start1 = June 19, 2015
| term_end1 = January 26, 2017
| predecessor1 = Eric J. Boswell
| successor1 = Cliff Seagroves
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1959}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| education = North Carolina State University (BA)
}}
Gentry O. Smith (born 1959) is an American foreign service officer who had served as Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security. From June 2015 to January 2017, he was Director of the Office of Foreign Missions.{{Cite web|url=https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/smith-gentry-o|title=Gentry O. Smith - People - Department History - Office of the Historian|website=history.state.gov|language=en|access-date=January 26, 2017}}
Early life and education
Smith was born to two school teachers in Halifax County, North Carolina. He attended Weldon High School in Weldon, North Carolina. He ran track and field and played wide receiver and defensive end on the school's football team. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from North Carolina State University.
Career
Smith served as a police officer in the Raleigh Police Department for four years, through 1987, when he went to work for the United States Department of State{{cite web| url = http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article29445496.html| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150731200410/http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article29445496.html| archive-date = 2015-07-31| title = Former Raleigh police officer named US ambassador {{!}} News & Observer}} as a special agent in the Diplomatic Security Service.
In 2000, he was deputy regional security officer in Cairo. In 2004, he was regional security officer in Tokyo. He was director of the Office of Physical Security Programs. In 2009, he was as deputy assistant secretary and assistant director for countermeasures.{{Cite web|url=http://www.allgov.com/news/appointments-and-resignations/director-of-the-office-of-foreign-missions-who-is-gentry-smith-140719?news=853729R|title=AllGov - News|website=www.allgov.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/m/ds/131647.htm?goMobile=0|title=Smith, Gentry O. - Deputy Assistant Secretary and Assistant Director for Countermeasures|website=U.S. Department of State}} In 2014, President Barack Obama nominated Smith as Director of the Office of Foreign Missions.{{cite web| url = http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/politics-columns-blogs/under-the-dome/article10325456.html| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170203070458/http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/politics-columns-blogs/under-the-dome/article10325456.html| archive-date = 2017-02-03| title = Former Raleigh police officer is Obama nominee {{!}} News & Observer}}
On January 26, 2017, when Rex Tillerson, Donald Trump's nominee for United States Secretary of State, visited the United States State Department, Smith, Patrick F. Kennedy, Joyce Anne Barr, and Michele Bond were all simultaneously asked to resign.{{cite news|last1=Labott|first1=Elise|title=Trump administration asks top State Department officials to leave|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/26/politics/top-state-department-officials-asked-to-leave-by-trump-administration/
|work=CNN|date=January 27, 2017}}{{cite news|last1=Halper|first1=Daniel|last2=Fredericks|first2=Bob|title=Top State Dept. officials exit after Tillerson visit|url=https://nypost.com/2017/01/26/senior-staff-resigns-en-masse-from-state-department/|work=New York Post|date=January 26, 2017}}
In November 2020, Smith was named a volunteer member of the Joe Biden presidential transition Agency Review Team to support transition efforts related to the United States Department of State.{{cite web |title=Agency Review Teams |url=https://buildbackbetter.com/the-transition/agency-review-teams/ |website=President-Elect Joe Biden |accessdate=10 November 2020 |archive-date=28 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220828180800/https://www.whitehouse.gov/ |url-status=dead }}
Personal life
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19E8evyyVW0 A Conversation on Diplomacy U.S Ambassador Gentry O. Smith], February 18, 2016
- [https://www.congress.gov/nomination/114th-congress/131 PN131 - Nomination of Gentry O. Smith for Department of State, 114th Congress (2015-2016)]
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Category:African-American diplomats
Category:21st-century American diplomats
Category:Biden administration personnel
Category:Directors of the Office of Foreign Missions
Category:North Carolina State University alumni