Charles P. Ries

Biography

Ambassador Charles Ries is a senior fellow at the RAND Corporation and director of the Center for Middle East Public Policy. While on a leave of absence from RAND in 2010, Ries was executive vice president of the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund. He served as Coordinator for Economic Transition in Iraq at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad (2007–2008), where he was responsible for oversight and coordination of assistance and economic policy initiatives. Before that, he was U.S. Ambassador to Greece, and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (2000–2004). In earlier assignments with the U.S. Department of State, Ries was the Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in London (1996–2000) and Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs at the U.S. Mission to the European Union (1992–1996). He served as Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for North American Affairs (1990–1992) and as a member of the NAFTA negotiating team. Since joining the Foreign Service in 1977, he also served as special assistant and executive assistant to the Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, in the Energy Policy Office, in the Office of the Counselor of the Department, and at U.S. embassies in Ankara and Santo Domingo. Ries is the recipient of the State Department's Cordell Hull Award for Senior Economic Officers, the Distinguished Honor Award, Presidential Meritorious Service Award, and several Superior Honor Awards. For his service in Iraq, he received the Department of the Army's Outstanding Civilian Service Award.