Roos was hired by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich &Rosati in 1985,having previously worked for O'Melveny &Myers in the early 1980s. The company caught the tech startup wave and over the next 25 years became the premier legal firm in the Valley,growing from 50 employees to more than 1,500 worldwide.[1]
Public service and political activity
While building his legal career,Roos participated in political activities and community service. He ran for and won a seat on the San Mateo-Foster City School District Board of Trustees in 1991 and again in 1995. He also served in various capacities at both Stanford University,where he served on the School of Education's Dean's Advisory Board and Stanford Law School—including as a member of the law school's Dean's Advisory Council. He was also elected to membership in the Stanford Associates for his long-standing volunteer service to the university.[2][3] Roos also served as an honorary captain—alongside John Elway—for Stanford before the Cardinal's victory in the January 2011 Orange Bowl.[4]
In May 2009 Obama named Roos to replace the departing Tom Schieffer as United States Ambassador to Japan.[5]
On August 7,2009,the U.S. Senate confirmed Roos by unanimous consent.[6] On August 16,2009,Roos was formally sworn in as the new ambassador. Three days later he and his family arrived in Japan and on August 20 he presented his credentials to Emperor Akihito.[7]
John ·V ·Roos U.S. Ambassador to greet speech at the Friendship Day at residence of Embassy in Tokyo(2010)In Tokyo Imperial Palace
Ambassador Roos' tenure in Japan coincided with a historic period in U.S.-Japan relations. Shortly after his arrival,the Democratic Party of Japan assumed power,the first real party transition in the Japanese government in 50 years. Roos played a key role in managing the relationship through that transition,as well as President Obama's rebalance to Asia,placing even more importance on the U.S.-Japan Alliance as the cornerstone of peace and security in the region. In addition to addressing the security,economic,and global challenges that Japan and the United States face,Roos provided a specific focus on areas of cooperation that include people to people connections,innovation,and entrepreneurship,and trade issues,including Japan's interest in joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership. He also worked closely with Japan on issues related to the Hague Convention and handling of International Parent-Child Abduction cases,ultimately resulting in Japan's joining in 2014. During his time in Japan,Ambassador Roos built relationships and established a rich and active dialogue with government leaders,business leaders,media and students over the course of his travels across all 47 of Japan's prefectures.[8]
On August 6,2010,Roos attended the peace memorial ceremony in Hiroshima,the first US Ambassador to Japan to do so.[9] Survivors of the U.S. atomic bombing welcomed his historic presence,where he offered a silent prayer for the victims of the bombing. His attendance was seen as an important step to advance President Obama's agenda to eliminate nuclear weapons.[10] Roos returned to Hiroshima for the 2012 ceremony,and also became the first Ambassador to attend the Nagasaki memorial ceremony that year.[11] His attendance was reported by all Japanese news media and widely praised.
Amb. Roos views tsunami-hit area
Following the devastating 9.0 earthquake,tsunami,and nuclear crisis on March 11,2011,Ambassador Roos led the American mission to support Japan's response to the multi-dimensional and unprecedented disaster.[12] He made his first visit to Ishinomaki,one of the coast towns heavily damaged by the huge tsunami,just 12 days after the catastrophe,a visit he described as,"one of the most moving events of my life."[13] Roos led the coordination of American relief efforts in what he called "the world's first megadisaster." An hour after the earthquake,Roos declared an emergency and cleared the way for Operation Tomodachi—which means "friend" in Japanese—a massive relief operation. Nearly 200 U.S. military ships and aircraft transported food,clothing,and supplies to those left homeless. He also led the U.S. Embassy's response to the nuclear crisis that ensued when a 50-foot wave hit the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. The disaster was intensified by the limited information available during its initial hours. Roos led the U.S. government's communication,and he used his Twitter feed to assure that the 155,000 Americans living in Japan received timely information about the disaster.[14] Japanese public support of the United States reached historic highs (85% favorability) in the wake of the U.S. response to the disaster.[15]
Roos also led the creation of the TOMODACHI Initiative in the wake of the U.S. relief efforts,after traveling throughout the Tohoku region that had been hit by the earthquake and tsunami and hearing from the mayor of one hard hit town,Rikuzentakata,that what the United States could really do to help recovery was "give hope to our young people." From this suggestion,the Ambassador launched the TOMODACHI Initiative.[16] The initiative is a public-private partnership with the U.S.-Japan Council,a Washington DC based organization,to invest in Japan's next generation of leaders. The Initiative represents a path-breaking paradigm in U.S. public diplomacy,in which government joins forces with private enterprises and organizations to achieve mutually beneficial,strategic goals. TOMODACHI provides young Japanese and Americans with opportunities to study,live,and work in each other's countries,thereby ensuring a thriving bilateral partnership into the foreseeable future. Roos marshaled assistance from a large number of high-profile celebrities to support the cause,including Lady Gaga,Tom Cruise,Will Smith,Cal Ripken,and will.i.am. Roos also has leveraged his popular Twitter account (over 55,000 followers,making him the most-followed U.S. Ambassador anywhere outside the United States at the time) to share information and generate excitement. As of the end of 2016,TOMODACHI has impacted the lives of more than 5,700 young people in the United States and Japan through cultural exchanges and leadership training. In 2016 alone,more than 1,000 people participated in 47 programs. More than 36,000 people have been involved in TOMODACHI programs and events in the United States and Japan.[17] Roos remains active supporting TOMODACHI even following his Ambassadorship.[18]
In August 2013,Roos' term concluded. He was replaced by Caroline Kennedy.
Recognition during Ambassadorship
The State Department awarded Ambassador Roos the 2011 Sue M. Cobb Award for Exemplary Diplomatic Service for the "tireless and effective leadership he displayed during the unprecedented disaster," an honor the Ambassador credited to the extraordinary dedication shown by U.S. Embassy employees in the aftermath of the March 11 disasters.[19]
Ambassador Roos' work with the TOMODACHI Initiative was recognized with the Special Gold Standard Award for Public Affairs Excellence in December 2012,[20]
On September 22,2014,Ambassador Roos was also awarded the Distinguished Public Service Award by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus for "his relentless efforts to forge a deeper bilateral security relationship between Japan and the United States," his "dynamic and steadfast leadership during Operation Tomodachi [that] paved the way for nearly 200 American ships and aircraft to transport essential relief supplies and equipment to the thousands left homeless after the March 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami."
Founding Partner,Geodesic Capital
John Roos is the Founding Partner,Geodesic Capital,which supports U.S.-based entrepreneurs building transformative growth stage technology companies.[21]
Boards,Advisory Roles,and Awards
Roos is also a senior advisor at Centerview Partners,a mergers &acquisitions advisory firm.[22] He is a member of the board of directors at [[Salesforce.com]. [23][24][25] and an advisor to the Toyota Research Institute.[26] He additionally serves on the board of directors of The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation.[27] Roos also remains active supporting TOMODACHI.[18] In 2022,he received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun[28]
Personal life
Roos is married to his wife Susie,and has two children,Lauren and David.[29] Susie is a former labor attorney who serves as Chief Administration Officer at Geodesic Capital.
Related Research Articles
Caroline Bouvier Kennedy is an American author,attorney,and diplomat serving as the United States ambassador to Australia since 2022. Kennedy previously served in the Obama administration as the United States ambassador to Japan from 2013 to 2017. She is a member of the Kennedy family,the only surviving child of US president John F. Kennedy and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
USS Tortuga (LSD-46) is a Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship of the United States Navy. She was the second Navy ship to be named for the Dry Tortugas,a group of desert coral islets 60 miles (97 km) west of Key West,Florida.
USNS Bridge (T-AOE-10),,is the fourth ship of the Supply-class of fast combat support ships in the United States Navy. She is the second ship in the Navy named after Horatio Bridge,a Commodore who served during the Civil War. Bridge was commissioned on 5 August 1998.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony is an annual Japanese vigil.
Karl Winfrid Eikenberry is a retired United States Army lieutenant general who served as the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan from April 2009 to July 2011. From 2011 to 2019,he was the Director of the U.S. Asia Security Initiative at the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center and a Stanford University professor of the practice;a member of the Core Faculty at the Center for International Security and Cooperation;and an affiliated faculty member at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies,Center on Democracy,Development and the Rule of Law,and The Europe Center.
Earl Anthony Wayne is an American diplomat. Formerly Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs,Ambassador to Argentina and Deputy Ambassador to Afghanistan,Wayne served nearly four years as Ambassador to Mexico. He was nominated by President Obama and confirmed by the Senate in August,2011. He departed Mexico City for Washington July 31,2015 and retired from the State Department on September 30,2015. Wayne attained the highest rank in the U.S. diplomatic service:Career Ambassador. He is currently a Professorial Lecturer and Distinguished Diplomat in Residence at American University's School of International Service where he teaches courses related to diplomacy and US foreign policy. Wayne also works with the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars,the Atlantic Council,the Center for Strategic and International Studies,. Wayne is co-chair of the Mexico Institute's Advisory Board at the Wilson Center. He is also on the board of the American Academy of Diplomacy and the Public Diplomacy Council of America. Wayne is an independent consultant,speaker and writer and works with several not-for-profit professional associations. He was an adviser for HSBC Latin America on improving management of financial crime risk from 2015 until 2019 and served on the board of the American Foreign Service Association from 2017 to 2019.
James Peter Zumwalt is an American diplomat with expertise in trade,economy,and East Asia. On November 19,2014,he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the U.S. Ambassador to Senegal and to Guinea-Bissau. Previously,he worked as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs,covering Japan and Korea. Until December 2011,he was the Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo where he also served as chargéd'affaires ad interim during the absence of an Ambassador from January to August 2009. He coordinated the U.S. Embassy's response to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
The 2010 Mentawai earthquake occurred with a moment magnitude of 7.8 on 25 October off the western coast of Sumatra at 21:42 local time. The earthquake occurred on the same fault that produced the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. It was widely felt across the provinces of Bengkulu and West Sumatra and resulted in a substantial localized tsunami that struck the Mentawai Islands.
The Embassy of Japan in Washington,D.C. is the diplomatic mission of Japan to the United States. It is located at 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW,Washington,D.C.,in the Embassy Row neighborhood. In addition to serving as Japan's diplomatic mission in the United States,the embassy provides Japanese consular services to residents of the District of Columbia,Virginia,and Maryland.
On 11 March 2011,at 14:46 JST,a Mw 9.0–9.1 undersea megathrust earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ocean,72 km (45 mi) east of the Oshika Peninsula of the Tōhoku region. It lasted approximately six minutes,causing a tsunami. It is sometimes known in Japan as the "Great East Japan Earthquake",among other names. The disaster is often referred to by its numerical date,3.11.
Operation Tomodachi was a United States Armed Forces assistance operation to support Japan in disaster relief following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. The operation took place from 12 March to 4 May 2011;involved 24,000 U.S. servicemembers,189 aircraft,24 naval ships;and cost $90 million.
Following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami,Japan received messages of condolence and offers of assistance from a range of international leaders. According to Japan's foreign ministry,163 countries and regions,and 43 international organizations had offered assistance to Japan as of September 15,2011. The magnitude of the earthquake was estimated at 9.1. This article is a list of charitable and humanitarian responses to the disaster from governments and non-governmental organizations. As of March 2012,donations to areas affected by the disaster totalled ¥520 billion and 930,000 people have assisted in disaster recovery efforts.
The aftermath of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami included both a humanitarian crisis and massive economic impacts. The tsunami created over 300,000 refugees in the Tōhoku region of Japan,and resulted in shortages of food,water,shelter,medicine and fuel for survivors. 15,900 deaths have been confirmed. In response to the crisis,the Japanese government mobilized the Self-Defence Forces,while many countries sent search and rescue teams to help search for survivors. Aid organizations both in Japan and worldwide also responded,with the Japanese Red Cross reporting $1 billion in donations. The economic impact included both immediate problems,with industrial production suspended in many factories,and the longer term issue of the cost of rebuilding which has been estimated at ¥10 trillion.
Lukman Faily is the Iraqi Ambassador to the United States. He has served as the Iraqi Ambassador to Japan.
Bruce Alan Heyman is an American businessman,author,and former diplomat who served as U.S. Ambassador to Canada from 2014 to 2017 under President Barack Obama.
The U.S.-Japan Council is a 501(c) 3 non-profit educational organization that contributes to strengthening U.S.-Japan relations by bringing together diverse leadership,engaging stakeholders and exploring issues that benefit communities,businesses and government entities on both sides of the Pacific Ocean. It is a Japanese American-led organization,fully dedicated to strengthening ties between the United States and Japan in a global context.
Japan–Maldives relations are foreign relations between Japan and Maldives. Diplomatic relations were established in 1967.
The Fukushima Youth Sinfonietta (福島青年管弦楽団) is a youth orchestra based in Fukushima developed out of the aftermath of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami disaster. Panos Karan and the British NPO Keys of Change created the Fukushima Youth Sinfonietta (FYS) in March 2012 which mainly consists of middle-school students from the Fukushima Prefecture.
Peter William Bodde is a member of the United States Foreign Service,and was the 8th United States Ambassador to Libya. He has previously served as the United States Ambassador to Nepal and as the United States Ambassador to Malawi,during which time he was credited for promoting awareness of HIV/AIDS discrimination.
Jason P. Hyland is Senior Advisor at Dentons Global Advisors - Albright Stonebridge Group and based in Tokyo,Japan. He was previously President &Representative Officer of MGM Resorts Japan LLC and a former American diplomat who served as the acting United States Ambassador to Japan. He was deputy to Ambassador Caroline Kennedy and assumed the position of Charge d'Affaires upon her departure on January 18,2017,until July 31,2017. As Deputy Chief of Mission for the United States Embassy in Tokyo,Japan,Hyland was involved in the organization of President Barack Obama's May 2016 historic visit to Hiroshima and attended the ceremony. He wrote about his impressions of the event in his blog in the US Embassy's American View online magazine.
References
1 2 Driscoll, Sharon (2 November 2009). "Stanford Report". Retrieved 21 February 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
