Ambassador

Former Ambassadors

Douglas "Pete" Peterson

Douglas "Pete" Peterson

Ambassador Douglas "Pete" Peterson departed Hanoi for the United States on July 15, 2001, concluding more than four years as America's first post-war ambassador to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Immediately prior to his diplomatic posting, Ambassador Peterson served three terms as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing the Second Congressional District of Florida where he was a member of the House Appropriations Committee and deeply engaged in health, national defense and international relations matters.

His previous public service also includes 26 years in the United States Air Force having served in worldwide assignments as a fighter pilot and commander. He is a distinguished combat veteran of the Vietnam War and was incarcerated as a POW during that conflict for six and one-half years. He completed his military service in 1981.

Ambassador Peterson has extensive experience in the private sector having formed Peterson and Associates, Inc., a general contracting company in Tampa, Florida and later served as the General Manager of Odom Tank Company, a general contracting firm located in Marianna, Florida. In 1984, he entered into a partnership to create CRT Computers, Inc., a currently active full service computer enterprise with facilities in Marianna, Florida.

Ambassador Peterson is a native of Nebraska, but has resided in Florida for more than 40 years. He is a graduate of the University of Tampa, Tampa , Florida and served on the faculty of Florida State University for over 5 years as the administrator of a specialized therapeutic mental health program at the University.

Ambassador Peterson is married to Vi Le and has two children, Michael of Jacksonville, Florida, and Paula of Bascom, Florida.