Ambassador Joseph Verner Reed Receives UNA-NYC Distinguished Service Award
Ambassador Joseph Verner Reed (center) with Ann Nicol, Executive Director, and Dr. Peter Rajsingh, President of UNA-NYC.
The UNA-NYC 2008 Distinguished Service Award was presented to Ambassador Joseph Verner Reed on May 15, 2008 at the United Nations by NYC chapter President, Dr. Peter Rajsingh and Executive Director, Ann Nicol.
The Search Committee selected and honored Ambassador Reed for his tireless personal service to the chapter and for his deep appreciation for international ideals. We are deeply indebted to Ambassador Reed for his many years of advice, counsel and dedication.
Ambassador Joseph Verner Reed, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General
Following his university studies at Yale, Mr. Reed joined the World Bank as Private Secretary to the President. From 1963 to 1981, he was Vice President and Assistant to the Chairman of the Chase Manhattan Bank, Mr. David Rockefeller.
Mr. Reed was appointed by US President Ronald Reagan as Ambassador of the United States to the Kingdom of Morocco in 1981, and in 1985 as the Representative of the United States to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations as Deputy Permanent Representative at the United States Mission.
In 1987, he was appointed Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations for Political and General Assembly Affairs. In early 1989, President George Bush appointed Ambassador Reed the Chief of Protocol of the United States of America, where he served until late 1991. In 1992, the then Secretary-General of the United Nations, Dr. Boutros-Ghali, appointed Ambassador Reed Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Special Representative for Public Affairs, concluding his assignment in February 1997. In June 1997, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi A. Annan, re-appointed Ambassador Reed as Under-Secretary-General and as President of the Staff-Management Coordination Committee, the highest internal body of the World Organization. Ambassador Reed served SMCC for twelve years, concluding his assignment in December 2004.
In January 2005, he was reappointed by Secretary-General Kofi A. Annan as Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser.
In February 2007, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reappointed Ambassador Reed as Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser.