Thorne, David Hoadley, 1944-

<p>David Hoadley Thorne (born September 16, 1944) is an American businessman and diplomat who served as United States Ambassador to Italy and Ambassador to San Marino from 2009 to 2013. He was nominated by President Barack Obama and sworn in August 17, 2009.</p>

<p>David Thorne's parents were Alice Smith (Barry) and Landon Ketchum Thorne, Jr. David lived in Italy for a decade while his father helped administer the Marshall Plan. David's twin sister Julia was the first wife of John Kerry. Thorne graduated from Yale University in 1966 with a B.A. in American History, where he roomed with Kerry and both were members of Skull and Bones, and then from Columbia University in 1971 with a master's degree in Journalism. He served in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War, and worked in political consulting, real estate development, and publishing. He is married and has two grown children.</p>

<p>David H. Thorne<br>
United States Ambassador<br>
Brookline, Massachusetts</p>

<p>Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State, US Department of State 2013-2017. United States Ambassador to Italy 2009-2013.<br>
Specialist in international economic policy.</p>

<p>If appointing U.S. ambassadors was like song dedications, then the selection of David H. Thorne as envoy to Italy and San Marino would be akin to President Barak Obama proclaiming, “This one goes out to you, John Kerry.” Thorne, a Boston businessman, is a longtime and close friend of the Democratic senator from Massachusetts, having gone to college and served in Vietnam with Kerry, and been related at to him one time by marriage through Thorne’s sister. Thorne was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to Italy and San Marino on August 17, 2009.</p>

<p>Born in New York City, Thorne, 64, hails from a banking and political dynasty that includes great-grandfather Henry L. Stimson, who served as Secretary of War under President Franklin Roosevelt. Thorne and his twin sister, Julia, grew up in Italy, thanks to their Republican father, Landon Thorne, Jr., who was appointed by President Dwight Eisenhower to administer the Marshall Plan for Italy. Thorne spent two decades in the country, splitting time between his family’s homes in Rome and Porto Ercole in Tuscany, and running his father’s newspaper, the Rome Daily American, which at one time was only one of two American international newspapers in Europe (besides the International Herald Tribune).</p>

<p>Thorne returned to the states to attend college at Yale University, where he first met Kerry. The two became close friends, belonging to the exclusive Skull and Bones Society and playing on the varsity soccer team. While at Yale they went on a road trip around Europe in an old London cab bought by Thorne, and ran with the bulls at Pamplona.</p>

<p>After graduating in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts in American history, Thorne served in the U.S. Navy and saw duty in Vietnam, along with Kerry.</p>

<p>In 1970, Thorne left the Navy and enrolled in graduate school at Columbia University. That same year Kerry married Julia, becoming Thorne’s brother-in-law. 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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>Thorne contributed $17,000 to Obama’s election campaign, and also gave money to Biden’s presidential bid and to two Democratic House candidates, neither of whom won their primaries.</p>

<p>Fluent in Italian, Spanish and French, Thorne is married to Rose Thorne and has two children.</p>

<p>Ambassador David Thorne was named Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State in August 2013. Among other duties, Secretary Kerry has asked Thorne to lead a Department-wide effort to position economic and commercial issues more prominently within the U.S. foreign policy landscape. Ambassador Thorne is also working to elevate the importance of entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation in the State Department’s promotion of global prosperity.</p>

<p>Thorne brings a wealth of public and private sector experience to Foggy Bottom. Most recently, he served from 2009-2013 as the U.S. Ambassador to Italy, following in the footsteps of his father, Landon Thorne Jr., who was administrator of the Marshall Plan for Italy (1953-1956). 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. In 2013, Italian President Giorgio Napolitano made Thorne a Knight of the Grand Cross, the highest ranking honor for meritorious service and achievements in Italy.</p>

<p>Prior to his service with the Department of State, Thorne co-founded Adviser Investments, one of the nation’s most highly regarded investment advisory firms specializing in Vanguard and Fidelity mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. He has been an investor and entrepreneur in a wide variety of business ventures, including marketing consulting, real estate, publishing, and financial services. In 2004, he sold his publishing business to Martha Stewart Omnimedia. Thorne is a former president and board member of the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. He served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy including a tour in Vietnam from 1966-1970, and is author of The New Soldier (Macmillan 1971).</p>

<p>Thorne graduated from Yale University in 1966 with a B.A. in American History and received a Master’s degree in Journalism from Columbia University in 1971.</p>