Hans Hertell
Encyclopedia
Hans Helmut Hertell is a former United States Ambassador
to the Dominican Republic
. Nominated by President George W. Bush
in the summer of 2001, Hertell was sworn in as Ambassador
on November 8, 2001. He presented his credentials to Dominican President Hipólito Mejía
in Santo Domingo
on November 29, 2001.
, Goldman, Antonetti, Ferraiuoli, Axtmayer & Hertell. From 1992-96, Ambassador Hertell was Managing Director for the Caribbean and Latin America at Black, Kelly, Scruggs & Healey, a government and public affairs company based in Washington, D.C.
. In 1989, he served as a member of the Commission to Review U.S. Magistrates for Reappointment, U.S. Court for the District of Puerto Rico. Between 1982-84, Ambassador Hertell was a political and legal advisor to the Governor of Puerto Rico
, as well as to the Attorney General
, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Treasury of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
of illegal immigrants arriving the shores of the island. Crossing the Mona Channel which separates both islands using rickety fishing boats called yolas, many immigrants try to make it to Puerto Rico and eventually to the United States in search of better economic opportunities and lives. Hertell helped the Calderon administration signed an agreement with then Dominican president Leonel Fernández
which stated that any illegal immigrants who illegally arrive in Puerto Rico would be repatriated to the Dominican Republic immediately.
In the banking sector, Ambassador Hertell was Chief Executive Officer
and Vice Chairman of Ponce Bank (NYSE), one of the largest publicly traded corporations in the Caribbean. From 1989 to 1991, he served as a director of the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York.
. Ambassador Hertell holds a bachelor of arts
degree from Fordham University
of New York
and a juris doctor
from the University of Puerto Rico
. He is married and the father of three children and is fluent in Spanish and English.
In April 2007, Ambassador Hertell officially left his post as ambassador. He was replaced by Chargé d'affaires
Roland W. Bullen, who served as the interim head of the embassy until mid-November 2007. On November 15, 2007, P. Robert Fannin was sworn in as the new ambassador.
Hertell is also involved with the operations and investments of the Barrick Gold
Corporation in the Dominican Republic. In 2009, he lobbied with Dominican authorities for the required permissions and licenses.
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. Nominated by President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
in the summer of 2001, Hertell was sworn in as Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
on November 8, 2001. He presented his credentials to Dominican President Hipólito Mejía
Hipólito Mejía
Rafael Hipólito Mejía Domínguez is a Dominican politician and former President of the Dominican Republic...
in Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
on November 29, 2001.
Early years
An attorney with more than 20 years experience in government, public affairs, and corporate and banking law, Ambassador Hertell was one of the founding partners of the third-largest full service law firm in Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, Goldman, Antonetti, Ferraiuoli, Axtmayer & Hertell. From 1992-96, Ambassador Hertell was Managing Director for the Caribbean and Latin America at Black, Kelly, Scruggs & Healey, a government and public affairs company based in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. In 1989, he served as a member of the Commission to Review U.S. Magistrates for Reappointment, U.S. Court for the District of Puerto Rico. Between 1982-84, Ambassador Hertell was a political and legal advisor to the Governor of Puerto Rico
Governor of Puerto Rico
The Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Since 1948, the Governor has been elected by the people of Puerto Rico...
, as well as to the Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Treasury of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Ambassador
Ambassador Hertell helped the administration of then-Governor Sila Calderón facilitate trade and immigration agreements between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. As Puerto Rico's most closest neighbor and largest trading partner, trade with the Dominican Republic is highly important to the growth of the Puerto Rican export market. However, due to the faulty Dominican economy, in recent years Puerto Rico has seen an exodusEmigration
Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people...
of illegal immigrants arriving the shores of the island. Crossing the Mona Channel which separates both islands using rickety fishing boats called yolas, many immigrants try to make it to Puerto Rico and eventually to the United States in search of better economic opportunities and lives. Hertell helped the Calderon administration signed an agreement with then Dominican president Leonel Fernández
Leonel Fernández
Leonel Antonio Fernández Reyna is a Dominican lawyer, academic, and the current President of the Dominican Republic since 2004. He held the same office from 1996 to 2000...
which stated that any illegal immigrants who illegally arrive in Puerto Rico would be repatriated to the Dominican Republic immediately.
In the banking sector, Ambassador Hertell was Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
and Vice Chairman of Ponce Bank (NYSE), one of the largest publicly traded corporations in the Caribbean. From 1989 to 1991, he served as a director of the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York.
Post-Ambassador years
He remains very active in fundraising for the Republican PartyRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. Ambassador Hertell holds a bachelor of arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and a juris doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from the University of Puerto Rico
University of Puerto Rico
The University of Puerto Rico is the state university system of Puerto Rico. The system consists of 11 campuses and has approximately 64,511 students and 5,300 faculty members...
. He is married and the father of three children and is fluent in Spanish and English.
In April 2007, Ambassador Hertell officially left his post as ambassador. He was replaced by Chargé d'affaires
Chargé d'affaires
In diplomacy, chargé d’affaires , often shortened to simply chargé, is the title of two classes of diplomatic agents who head a diplomatic mission, either on a temporary basis or when no more senior diplomat has been accredited.-Chargés d’affaires:Chargés d’affaires , who were...
Roland W. Bullen, who served as the interim head of the embassy until mid-November 2007. On November 15, 2007, P. Robert Fannin was sworn in as the new ambassador.
Hertell is also involved with the operations and investments of the Barrick Gold
Barrick Gold
Barrick Gold Corporation is the largest pure gold mining company in the world, with its headquarters in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and four regional business units located in Australia, Africa, North America and South America...
Corporation in the Dominican Republic. In 2009, he lobbied with Dominican authorities for the required permissions and licenses.
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- German immigration to Puerto RicoGerman immigration to Puerto RicoGerman immigration to Puerto Rico increased when German businessmen immigrated to Puerto Rico during the early part of the 19th century. However, it was the economic and political situation in Europe during the early 19th century plus, the fact that the Spanish Crown issued the Royal Decree of...