Thorne, David Hoadley, 1944-

David Hoadley Thorne (born September 16, 1944) is an American businessman and diplomat who served as U.S. Ambassador to Italy and Ambassador to San Marino (2009-2013)

Born in New York City, Thorne lived in Rome, Italy for a decade while his father helped administer the Marshall Plan. He returned stateside to attend college at Yale University, where he first met John Kerry. After graduating in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts in American history, Thorne served in the U.S. Navy and saw duty in Vietnam.

In 1970, Thorne left the Navy and enrolled in graduate school at Columbia University. That same year Kerry married Thorne's sister Julia. The two men collaborated on a book together, The New Soldier, which was published on behalf of Vietnam Veterans Against the War, in 1971, the same year Thorne earned his master’s degree in journalism.

Thorne backed Kerry in his later, high-profile campaign against the war, when they gave back their medals and took part in peace marches. He also helped run Kerry’s first campaign for Congress in 1972. Once the Vietnam War ended, Thorne spent the next thirty years building his career as an investor and entrepreneur in a wide variety of business ventures, including marketing consulting, real estate, publishing, and financial services. He also helped found a political consulting firm and aided Joe Biden’s first election to the Senate.

Thorne built a publishing venture focused on health and healing that was acquired by Martha Stewart’s Omnimedia in 2004. In 1994 he co-founded the Boston-based Adviser Investments, an independent money management firm specializing in Vanguard and Fidelity mutual funds. Thorne and Kerry ceased being brothers-in-law in 1988, when Julia divorced Kerry. But that did not end their close friendship. During Kerry’s presidential run in 2004, Thorne served as the Democratic nominee’s campaign treasurer and head of Internet activities.

Nominated by President Barack Obama to be U.S. Ambassador to Italy and San Marino, Thorne was sworn in August 17, 2009. As ambassador, Thorne bolstered U.S.-Italian relations, strengthening partnerships with the leaders of three consecutive Italian governments. On the economic development and technology front, he launched the Embassy-sponsored Digital Economy Forum, a public-private sector collaboration to catalyze innovation, entrepreneurship, and job creation. He left this role effective July 30, 2013. The following month, Thorne was named Senior Advisor to Secretary of State Kerry in August 2013. During his time as Senior Advisor, Thorne to lead a Department-wide effort to position economic and commercial issues more prominently within the U.S. foreign policy landscape. He left this role at the end of the Obama administration.

Fluent in Italian, Spanish and French, Thorne and his wife, Rose, have two children.