Douglas Thomas Hickey[1][2] is an American businessman and diplomat who served as the United States ambassador to Finland from 2022 to 2024. He has more than 30 years of operational experience holding senior-level positions in the telecom, internet, and technology industries.
Doug Hickey | |
|---|---|
 | |
| United States Ambassador to Finland | |
| In office May 11, 2022 – September 20, 2024 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Robert Pence |
| Succeeded by | Christopher Kraft (Chargé d'affaires) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Douglas Thomas Hickey |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Dawn Ross |
| Residence(s) | San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Education | Siena College (BA) |
Education
editHickey earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics in 1977 from Siena College.[3]
Career
editFrom 1989 to 1994, Hickey was the president of Metropolitan Fiber Systems. He later joined GlobalCenter, a web hosting service, before it was acquired by Exodus Communications. From 1998 until his resignation in 2001, Hickey was the president and CEO of Critical Path, Inc.[4] From 2000 to 2010, Hickey was a partner at Hummer Winblad Venture Partners in San Francisco. He was later the president and CEO of BinWise, Inc.,[5] a company that provides software used to track beer, spirits, and wine inventory to businesses in the food and beverage industry.[6]
In 2014, Hickey was appointed to serve as the United States Ambassador and commissioner general to Expo Milano by President Barack Obama.[7][8]
Ambassador to Finland
editDespite initial reports that President Joe Biden was considering to nominate him as Ambassador to Italy and San Marino, he was eventually nominated as Ambassador to Finland on October 8, 2021.[9][10]
Hearings on Hickey's nomination were held before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on March 3, 2022. The committee favorably reported his nomination to the Senate floor on March 23, 2022. Hickey was confirmed by the entire Senate via voice vote on March 24, 2022. Because of pandemic protocols related to COVID-19, Hickey took his oath of office in Sun Valley, Idaho.[11]
He presented his credentials to President Sauli Niinistö on May 11, 2022.[1]
During Hickey's tenure, major developments in U.S.-Finland relations include Finland's ascension to NATO and a joint statement on U.S.-Finland Science and Technology Cooperation, including biotechnology, climate science, and health science.[12][13] Hickey retired from his post on September 20, 2024.[14]
Awards and recognitions
editIn 2016, Hickey received an honorary doctorate degree from Siena College.[15]
Personal life
editHickey and his wife, Dawn Ross, have been prominent financial supporters of Democratic presidential candidates, including John Kerry, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Joe Biden.[16][17][18] They have two sons.[11]
References
edit- ^ a b "The President of the Republic of Finland received credentials from a new ambassador". Presidentti. May 11, 2022. Retrieved 2022-05-11.
- ^ "PN1253 - Nomination of Douglas T. Hickey for Department of State, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". www.congress.gov. March 24, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
- ^ "Douglas T. Hickey '77". Siena College. Retrieved 2021-06-17.
- ^ "Doug Hickey critical path - Google Search". www.google.com. Retrieved 2021-06-17.
- ^ DOUG HICKEY - Mentor Minds, retrieved 2022-04-18
- ^ "Complete Bar Inventory Software System | BinWise". home.binwise.com. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
- ^ Rights, Robert F. Kennedy Human. "Ambassador Doug Hickey". Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights. Retrieved 2021-06-17.
- ^ Milano 2015, Friends of the USA Pavilion. "Doug Hickey Named the Commissioner General for the USA Pavilion at Milan Expo 2015". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2021-06-17.
{{cite press release}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Moynihan, Lydia [@LJMoynihan] (2021-06-09). "SCOOP: Doug Hickey—a top Biden donor and VC is expected to be offered the ambassadorship to Italy imminently; former Republican Senator Jeff Flake expected to be offered ambassadorship to New Zealand imminently" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2021-10-17 – via Twitter.
- ^ "President Biden Announces Key Nominations". The White House. 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
- ^ a b "Sun Valley Man Takes Oath as Ambassador to Finland". eyeonsunvalley.com. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
- ^ "A View from the Front Line: U.S. Ambassador to Finland Speaks at Tufts | Gordon Institute". gordon.tufts.edu. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
- ^ Ferran, Lee (2024-05-24). "Once a key behind-the-scenes player on a Cold War stage, US Embassy Helsinki steps into the spotlight". Breaking Defense. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
- ^ "Former Ambassadors and Ministers". U.S. Embassy in Finland. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
- ^ "Douglas T. Hickey '77". Siena College. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
- ^ ABC7. "Vice President Joe Biden's visit for Democratic fundraiser snarls Sea Cliff traffic | ABC7 San Francisco | abc7news.com". ABC7 San Francisco. Retrieved 2021-06-17.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Buckman, Rebecca (2008-01-22). "Democrats Woo Silicon Valley". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2021-06-17.
- ^ Schwartz, Brian (2019-06-13). "Former Twitter executive and Obama financiers will host Joe Biden during Bay Area fundraising blitz". CNBC. Retrieved 2021-06-17.