Frank Lavin | |
|---|---|
| Lavin in 1987 | |
| United States Ambassador to Singapore | |
| In office September 10, 2001 –October 11, 2005 | |
| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Steven Green |
| Succeeded by | Patricia Herbold |
| White House Director of Political Affairs | |
| In office March 16,1987 –January 20,1989 Servingwith Frank Donatelli | |
| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Haley Barbour |
| Succeeded by | James Wray |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 26,1957 Canton,Ohio,U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | Georgetown University (BS,MS) Johns Hopkins University (MA) University of Pennsylvania (MBA) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | |
| Branch/service | |
| Rank | Lieutenant commander |
| Unit | U.S. Naval Reserve |
Franklin L. Lavin (born October 26,1957) is an American diplomat,international business advisor,author,and public speaker who served as the White House Political Director from 1987 to 1989,United States Ambassador to Singapore from 2001 to 2005,and as Under Secretary for International Trade in the U.S. Department of Commerce from 2005 to 2007. Lavin held senior roles in the Reagan,George H. W. Bush,and George W. Bush administrations,focusing on foreign policy,trade policy,and White House operations. In the private sector,he has held leadership positions in corporate banking and e-commerce. Lavin is a frequent commentator on trade,U.S. foreign policy,and U.S. politics. [1]
Lavin was born in Canton,Ohio and graduated from Phillips Academy Andover in 1975. He earned a B.S. in International Politics from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and completed graduate studies in Chinese at the National Taiwan Normal University. Lavin also went on to earn an M.S. in Chinese language from Georgetown University;an M.A. in International Relations and International Economics from the School of Advanced International Studies at the Johns Hopkins University;and an MBA in Finance at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. [1]
As Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade,Lavin headed the International Trade Administration for the United States Department of Commerce from 2005 until 2007. [2] [3]
From August 2001 to 2005,Lavin served as the United States Ambassador to Singapore. [1]
As of September 2001,Lavin is an officer in the United States Navy's reserve. [4]
A 2005 report by the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of State praised Lavin's leadership in this position,calling him "a strong leader with a high degree of intellectual curiosity who wants to be kept well-briefed by all agencies,and yet lets people do their jobs without micromanaging". [5]
From 2011 to 2023,Lavin served as CEO of Export Now, [6] a company dedicated to helping consumer brands sell their products in China. [7]
In August 2016,Lavin endorsed Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. [8] [9]
In 2020,Lavin,along with over 130 other former Republican national security officials,signed a statement that asserted that President Trump was unfit to serve another term,and "To that end,we are firmly convinced that it is in the best interest of our nation that Vice President Joe Biden be elected as the next President of the United States,and we will vote for him." [10]
In 2025,Lavin was a fellow at the USC Center for the Political Future [11] .
Frank Lavin and his wife Ann (née Wortley) have been married since November 29,1980. [12] They have three children. His father was a soldier in World War II. [9]