Pearson is a career member of the
Senior Foreign Service, Class of Career Minister. He has a broad background in European and security issues as well as wide management experience overseas and in
Washington, D.C. He was the United States Ambassador to Turkey based in
Ankara from September 21, 2000 through July 2003 and managed U.S. interests in the country through two severe domestic economic crises, a general election, the war in
Afghanistan, and the liberation of
Iraq. From 2003 to 2006, Ambassador Pearson served as Director General of the U.S. Foreign Service. Early on he was a member of the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps from 1969 to 1973. A later posting to Beijing, China saw him serve as a political officer (1981–1983) then as staff assistant in the
East Asian and Pacific Affairs Bureau. He began his
Foreign Service career with a 2-year assignment in
Auckland,
New Zealand. Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy to France from July 1997 to July 2000, Pearson closely followed the evolution of the
European Union, defense and security issues within the
Atlantic Alliance and the
EU. He actively promoted business ties between
France and the U.S. and helped in the opening of five new American offices in France's regions. Pearson was appointed Deputy Executive Secretary of the
National Security Council from 1985 until 1987. Pearson served twice at
NATO, from 1993 to 1997 as Deputy Permanent Representative to the U.S. Mission during the
Balkan crisis and NATO's enlargement, and from 1987 to 1990 on the international staff as chair of NATO's Political Committee. Between 1991 and 1993, Pearson was also Executive Secretary of the
Department of State. Pearson is a member of the
International Institute for Strategic Studies and the
American Academy of Diplomacy. He speaks
French,
Chinese and
Turkish. ==References==