Haney, S. Fitzgerald, 1969-

<p>Stafford Fitzgerald Haney (born January 3, 1969) is an American diplomat and businessman who served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Costa Rica from 2015 to 2017. Haney was nominated as U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica by President Barack Obama on July 8, 2014, and was confirmed by the full Senate on May 23, 2015. He served until July 15, 2017, having been the only Obama-appointed political ambassador in the world allowed to stay under the Donald Trump administration.</p>

<p>Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Haney grew up in Naperville, Illinois, and graduated from Georgetown University, earning a B.S. in international economics and an M.S. in international business and diplomacy from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, Washington, D.C., 1986-1991.</p>

<p>Haney was born in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1986, he graduated from Naperville Central High School.</p>

<p>Haney received his B.S. in international economics in 1990 and his M.S. in international business diplomacy in 1991, both from Georgetown University.</p>

<p>After graduating, Haney moved to Latin America to work for a number of U.S. multinationals in Puerto Rico, Mexico, Central America, and Brazil. After nearly a decade in Latin America, he moved to Israel, where he met his future wife, Rabbi Andrea Haney. The couple moved back to the United States in 2002 and settled in Englewood, New Jersey.</p>

<p>Haney started his professional life working for Procter & Gamble in San Juan, Puerto Rico in what was then called the brand management (marketing) department. Haney spent three years at P&G Puerto Rico working in the laundry and food & beverage sectors. He left P&G in 1994 as an assistant brand manager.</p>

<p>In 1994, Haney moved to PepsiCo Restaurants International, where he worked as a marketing manager for Puerto Rico. In 1995, the company moved him to Mexico City to become the marketing manager for Mexico and Central America. During his time in Mexico, Haney was part of the team which developed a new line of lower cost pizzas, Pizza Mia, in response to the currency and economic crisis. The line has since been launched globally.</p>

<p>In 1996, Pepsico Restaurants promoted Haney to be marketing director for Brazil. He was responsible for marketing and strategy for the entire PepsiCo Restaurants business in the country covering both brands, Pizza Hut and KFC, as well as franchise relations. Haney relaunched both brands, revamped business strategy and was successful in turning the businesses around.</p>

<p>In 1997, Haney became the vice president of marketing and strategic planning for Citibank Mexico in Mexico City. He was charged with developing a strategy for what was then Citibank's third largest consumer business in the world and largest in Latin America after the bank's acquisition of Banco Confia. Haney managed 192 people and a marketing budget of US$31 million.</p>

<p>After finishing his studies at WUJS (Worldwide Union of Jewish Students), Haney moved to Jerusalem and began working as a senior associate at Israel Seed Partners, then the largest seed-stage venture capital firm in Israel. He managed deal flow and investment analysis for $240 million seed capital fund and was involved in strategy, marketing, and fund-raising activity for $200 million fourth fund. He was the lead investor in Cyota, Inc., and managed the company through subsequent rounds until it was acquired by RSA Security for $145MM, as well as having managed the investment, business development, and subsequent acquisition of location-based services portfolio company NomadIQ by Omnisky (NASDAQ:OMNY).</p>

<p>In 2002, Haney was recruited to join the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC) in New York City as the Director of Strategy and New Business Development.</p>

<p>In 2006, Haney began a stint as Senior Vice President of Ethnic Consumer Products at IDT Corporation in Newark, New Jersey.</p>

<p>From 2007 to 2015, he was a Principal and Director of Business Development and Client Service (Europe, Middle East and Africa) at Pzena Investment Management in New York City, London and Middle East.</p>

<p>On July 8, 2014, President Obama announced his intention to nominate Haney as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Costa Rica. Haney presented testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on July 25, 2014 with Senator Tim Kaine presiding over the hearing. He was voted out of committee on September 18, 2014, and his nomination was forwarded to the full Senate. The Senate failed to act on the nomination and it languished to the end of the session. At the end of the session, the nomination was returned to the White House.</p>

<p>On February 5, 2015, President Obama once again forwarded Haney's nomination to the Senate. Haney presented testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (for the second time) on March 10, 2015. On May 23, 2015, Haney was confirmed by the full Senate via voice vote, becoming one of only a few nominees confirmed by the Senate.</p>

<p>Haney was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Costa Rica on June 1, 2015 and had an official ceremony at the State Department on June 25, 2015. He arrived in San Jose, Costa Rica on June 28, 2015, and presented his credentials to Foreign Minister Manuel Gonzalez on June 30, 2015, and to President Luis Guillermo Solis on July 8, 2015.</p>

<p>In January 2017, it was announced that the new Trump administration would require all ambassadors politically-appointed by outgoing President Barack Obama to vacate their posts upon President Trump's inauguration on January 20, 2017. On January 18, 2017, it was announced that Haney had received approval to remain at his post in San Jose, thereby becoming the only politically-appointed ambassadorial holdover from the Obama to the Trump administrations.</p>

<p>On July 13, 2017, Haney was awarded the Grand Silver Cross of the National Order of Juan Mora Fernández by the Government of the Republic of Costa Rica for his meritorious service to the country during his time as US ambassador. Haney ended his service as ambassador on July 15, 2017.</p>

<p>On November 27, 2017, Haney joined Viola, an Israeli technology-focused investment group with assets under management approaching $3B USD, as a Partner and Head of Strategic Development</p>

<p>In July 2000, Haney married Andrea Dobrick, who was in 2000 ordained a Conservative Rabbi by the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the American Jewish University (University of Judaism). The couple has four children.</p>

<p>Ambassador (ret.) S. Fitzgerald Haney (Fitz) joined Viola Group in late November 2017 as Partner and Head of Strategic Development. Fitz will focus on investor relations, client service and strategic development across the entire Group.</p>

<p>Most recently Fitz served as US ambassador to Costa Rica where he was charged with protecting U.S. citizens residing in and visiting the country; implementing U.S. foreign policy objectives; advancing U.S. commercial interests and expanding U.S.-Costa Rica ties.</p>

<p>Ambassador Haney earned a B.S. in International Economics and a M.S. with distinction in International Business and Diplomacy from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, Washington, D.C., 1986-1991.</p>

<p>Ambassador Haney was born in Nashville, Tennessee and grew up outside of Chicago, in Naperville, Illinois. He and his wife, Rabbi Andrea Haney, have four children.</p>

<p>Ambassador Haney has had a distinguished career as an international businessman with many years of experience serving in senior-level marketing, financial services and manufacturing positions across Latin America. From 2007 to 2015, he was a Principal and Director of Business Development and Client Service (Europe, Middle East and Africa) at Pzena Investment Management in New York City. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President of Ethnic Consumer Products at International Discount Telecommunications (IDT) in Newark, New Jersey from 2006 to 2007; Director of Strategic Planning at Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation in New York City from 2002 to 2006; Senior Associate at Israel Seed Partners in Jerusalem from 1999 to 2001; and Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Planning at Citibank in Mexico City and Monterrey, Mexico from 1997 to 1999. He held various positions with PepsiCo Restaurants International from 1993 to 1997, including Marketing Director in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Senior Marketing Manager for Mexico and Central America in Mexico City, Mexico and Marketing Manager in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was also Assistant Brand Manager at Procter and Gamble in San Juan, Puerto Rico and served as Appointed Member of the City of Englewood Planning Board and Board of Adjustment in Englewood, New Jersey.</p>

<p>Ambassador Haney earned a B.S. in international economics and a M.S. with distinction in international business and diplomacy from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, Washington, D.C., 1986-1991. He was the recipient of the Brunswick-Hanigan Scholarship, the Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence and Distinction in Oral Examination at Georgetown University and is a Member of the National Jesuit Honor Society. He speaks Spanish, Portuguese, Hebrew and conversational French.</p>

<p>He has served on a number of non-profit and community boards such as the Foundation of Jewish Culture (co-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer); Ayecha, a resource organization for Jews of Color and as an appointed member of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council.</p>

<p>Ambassador Haney was born in Nashville, Tennessee and grew up outside of Chicago, in Naperville, Illinois.</p>