Ambassador Joseph

Wilson

In Memoriam

Ambassador Joseph Wilson (1949-2019) managed JC Wilson International Ventures, a consulting firm specializing in strategic management and international-business development. He held numerous senior government positions spanning more than three decades, with service under five U.S. presidents — Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush Sr., and Clinton. He was Ambassador to Gabon and to the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe. As Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs at the National Security Council, Ambassador Wilson was responsible for the coordination of U.S. policy to the 48 countries of sub-Saharan Africa. He was also a principal architect of President Clinton’s historic trip to Africa in March 1998 and a leading proponent of the Africa Trade Bill. In 2004, Ambassador Wilson chronicled his diplomatic career and battle with the Bush administration in his national bestselling book The Politics of Truth. In 2010, his wife’s book (Fair Game by Valerie Plame) was combined with his into a major motion picture starring Sean Penn and Naomi Watts. He was a frequent contributor to national and international news media and the recipient of numerous awards, including the Department of Defense Distinguished Service Award, the Department of State Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards, and the University of California/Santa Barbara Distinguished Alumnus Award. He held an honorary doctorate from NOVA Southeastern University in Florida.