Eric M. Bost
Encyclopedia
Eric M. Bost is the former United States Ambassador to South Africa
. He was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa by President George W. Bush on July 20, 2006 after being confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Ambassador on June 29. Ambassador Bost presented his credentials to South African President Thabo Mbeki on August 15, 2006. He completed his tour as ambassador on January 20, 2009.
Ambassador Bost previously served as Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services (FNCS) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Before his appointment to that position, Ambassador Bost served as Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Texas Department of Human Services (DHS) for four years.
As FNCS Under Secretary, Ambassador Bost was responsible for the administration of the fifteen USDA nutrition assistance programs with a combined budget of over $58 billion, including the Food Stamp Program, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program
s, and the Commodity Distribution Programs.
During his tenure at the Department of Agriculture, Ambassador Bost led an expanded U.S. initiative to promote improved nutrition and food security in South Africa, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Hong Kong, Brazil, Tanzania, Swaziland, Mozambique, Uganda, Madagascar, Chile, United Kingdom, Argentina, Mexico, Israel, Italy, China and Japan.
A native of Concord, North Carolina
, Ambassador Bost holds a B.A. degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
and an M.A. degree in Special Education from the University of South Florida
.
United States Ambassador to South Africa
Before 1902, The southern part of Africa that is now South Africa was under the hegemony of Great Britain. There also were two self-proclaimed independent states: Transvaal and the Orange Free State. The British and the Boers fought two wars known as the First Boer War and the Second Boer War...
. He was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa by President George W. Bush on July 20, 2006 after being confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Ambassador on June 29. Ambassador Bost presented his credentials to South African President Thabo Mbeki on August 15, 2006. He completed his tour as ambassador on January 20, 2009.
Ambassador Bost previously served as Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services (FNCS) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Before his appointment to that position, Ambassador Bost served as Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Texas Department of Human Services (DHS) for four years.
As FNCS Under Secretary, Ambassador Bost was responsible for the administration of the fifteen USDA nutrition assistance programs with a combined budget of over $58 billion, including the Food Stamp Program, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program
School Breakfast Program
The School Breakfast Program provides federally subsidized breakfasts to children in schools and child care facilities. Permanently authorized by the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 . Federal funding is provided in the form of cash reimbursements for each breakfast served, varied in amount by the...
s, and the Commodity Distribution Programs.
During his tenure at the Department of Agriculture, Ambassador Bost led an expanded U.S. initiative to promote improved nutrition and food security in South Africa, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Hong Kong, Brazil, Tanzania, Swaziland, Mozambique, Uganda, Madagascar, Chile, United Kingdom, Argentina, Mexico, Israel, Italy, China and Japan.
A native of Concord, North Carolina
Concord, North Carolina
Concord is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. According to Census 2010, the city has a current population of 79,066. It is the largest city in Cabarrus County and is the county seat. In terms of population, the city of Concord is the second largest city in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area...
, Ambassador Bost holds a B.A. degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
and an M.A. degree in Special Education from the University of South Florida
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
.