Mark Evans Austad
Encyclopedia
Mark Evans Austad was an American
radio and television commentator in Washington D.C. (under the name Mark Evans), and served under the Ford administration as United States Ambassador to Finland
in 1975 to 1977 and under the Reagan administration as United States Ambassador to Norway
from 1981 to 1984.
to Norwegian immigrant parents, Jacob L. and Signa Anderson Austad. He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and served a three-year mission
to Finland
and Norway
from 1936 to 1939. From 1939 to 1941, he attended Weber College in Ogden where he was student body president
and active in public speaking
, in which he won first place in national competitions. Austad married the former Lola Brown in 1942 and they had three daughters.
Throughout his life Austad was active in the LDS Church, and in addition to his missionary service he was also a Sunday School
teacher in the 1970s in Washington D.C. and was ordained as a High Priest.
. To treat a pre-existing knee injury, he was sent to Walter Reed General Hospital in Washington D.C., where he was also assigned to the hospital's public address system referred to as WRGH. Among his duties was hosting a weekly program with prominent Washington personalities, such as First Lady
Eleanor Roosevelt
. In late 1942 Austad also worked part-time for WWDC
and then full-time upon his military discharge in 1945. After two years, he moved to the CBS
station WTOP
where he succeeded Arthur Godfrey
on his own morning show.
Starting in 1960, Austad became a commentator at WTTG
television and in 1961 he became vice president of public affairs at Metropolitan Broadcasting Company, later called Metromedia
, where he stayed until 1981. During this time he continued to host other television shows such as "Panorama Potomac", "Face to Face", "The Mark Evans Show", and "Opinion in the Capitol", which he hosted for 25 years. He was also involved with television documentaries, including an award-winner on pollution called 1985, several on world topics, and one on his visit with Albert Schweitzer
.
(appointed by President
Richard Nixon
), a member of the executive board of the Washington D.C. American Red Cross
, a member of the public affairs committee of the United States Chamber of Commerce
, a member of the board of the Arizona Heart Institute
, a member of the board of the Disabled American Veterans
, and a trustee of the American Automobile Association
. He received the Silver Beaver Award
and in 1970 he was named Scouter of the Year by the National Capital Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America
, where he participated for over 25 years. He was invited on eight occasions to speak before the National Geographic Society
. For his "deep commitment to freedom and a strong national defense", in 1987 he received the Bronze Minuteman, the highest award of the Utah National Guard
.
In 1971, in this period of civic involvement, Austad received an honorary doctor of humanities degree
from Weber State College, his alma mater. The school would also later honor Austad by naming its largest theater in its fine arts center The Mark Evans Austad Auditorium.
Austad served for two years as chairman of Washington D.C.'s National Cherry Blossom Festival
, and in 1973 and 1974 he was chairman of Washington D.C.'s U.S. bicentennial celebration.
Austad served on the presidential inaugural committees both times Richard Nixon
was elected. In 1969 Austad chaired the Inaugural
Ball
committee, and in 1972 he was vice chairman of the inauguration
committee. Nixon would appoint Austad to serve as one of the three public members of the United States delegation to the 28th General Assembly of the United Nations. After Nixon's presidential resignation, his successor Gerald Ford appointed Austad as Ambassador to Finland. In 1980 Austad would again serve on an inaugural committee, this time for Ronald Reagan
's first election
, after which he was again appointed as an ambassador, this time to Norway.
. Austad became the first American diplomat to be knighted by Finland, under the Order of the White Rose
and Order of the Lion
.
In 1981, while living in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire
and Scottsdale, Arizona
, Austad was appointed Ambassador to Norway by President
Ronald Reagan
. He served in this position until 1984 and was well received and awarded Norway's highest honor given to foreigners, the Grand Cross of St. Olav's Order, for his work in fighting heart disease. However, he was known for contending with some Norwegians, including the opposition Labor Party
, a local Norwegian council, student groups, and a newspaper that frequently ran such headlines as "Austad Strikes Again." He also gained notoriety in the Norwegian media for a 1983 incident in which police were called to a startled woman's home where Austad was loudly banging on the door at 3 a.m. Austad claimed that after hosting an embassy cocktail party, he was on a late-night visit to a friend's house to plan their salmon fishing trip, but his taxi took him to the wrong address. It was alleged that Austad was "apparently under the influence of alcohol" and had spent "half an hour knocking and kicking at her front door Wednesday in an attempt to get in." Police merely dropped Austad back at his hotel, but United States House
Democrats
listed this incident as one of many ethics violations by Reagan Administration officials. Austad viewed the criticism as inaccurate innuendo and media sensationalism, started by the British newspaper Private Eye
and picked up by other papers and wire services. Austad sued Private Eye for libel and they settled for a "substantial sum", for damages and legal expenses, and printed an apology stating their "article constituted a most serious and damaging libel upon Ambassador Austad." Austad dismissed the controversy, saying Norway's largest newspaper, Aftenposten
, praised him as the best U.S. ambassador they had ever had.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
radio and television commentator in Washington D.C. (under the name Mark Evans), and served under the Ford administration as United States Ambassador to Finland
United States Ambassador to Finland
This is a list of Ambassadors of the United States to Finland.Until 1917 Finland had been a subject of Russia as the Grand Duchy of Finland. As a result of the Bolshevist October Revolution in Russia, Finland declared its independence on December 6, 1917. On December 22 This is a list of...
in 1975 to 1977 and under the Reagan administration as United States Ambassador to Norway
United States Ambassador to Norway
Prior to 1905, Sweden and Norway were politically united. The United States Ambassador to Sweden thus was the US representative for Norway as well as Sweden. In 1905 Sweden and Norway peacefully separated and Norway became an independent constitutional monarchy. On November 14, 1905, the US State...
from 1981 to 1984.
Biography
Austad was born Marcus Jacob Austad in Ogden, UtahOgden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
to Norwegian immigrant parents, Jacob L. and Signa Anderson Austad. He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and served a three-year mission
Missionary (LDS Church)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
to Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
from 1936 to 1939. From 1939 to 1941, he attended Weber College in Ogden where he was student body president
Student body president
The President of the Student Government is the highest ranking officer of a student government or student union association on the high school, college, or university level...
and active in public speaking
Public speaking
Public speaking is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain the listeners...
, in which he won first place in national competitions. Austad married the former Lola Brown in 1942 and they had three daughters.
Throughout his life Austad was active in the LDS Church, and in addition to his missionary service he was also a Sunday School
Sunday School (LDS Church)
Sunday School is an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . All members of the church and any interested nonmembers, age 12 and older, are encouraged to participate in Sunday School.-Purpose:...
teacher in the 1970s in Washington D.C. and was ordained as a High Priest.
Broadcasting
Austad passed up law school for an opportunity to work in radio as an announcer with KSL in Salt Lake City in 1941. He was soon drafted into the U.S. Army Intelligence Corps for service during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. To treat a pre-existing knee injury, he was sent to Walter Reed General Hospital in Washington D.C., where he was also assigned to the hospital's public address system referred to as WRGH. Among his duties was hosting a weekly program with prominent Washington personalities, such as First Lady
First Lady of the United States
First Lady of the United States is the title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, the title is most often applied to the wife of a sitting president. The current first lady is Michelle Obama.-Current:The...
Eleanor Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported the New Deal policies of her husband, distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and became an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, Roosevelt continued to be an international...
. In late 1942 Austad also worked part-time for WWDC
WWDC (FM)
WWDC is a commercial radio station in Washington, D.C., broadcasting to the Washington, DC-Baltimore, Maryland area. WWDC airs an alternative rock format on 101.1 FM branded as DC101.-History:WWDC-FM signed on in 1947 as a beautiful music station...
and then full-time upon his military discharge in 1945. After two years, he moved to the CBS
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
station WTOP
WTOP-FM
WTOP is an all-news formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Washington, D.C., serving Metropolitan Washington, DC area. WTOP is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting.WTOP is one of two all-news stations in the Washington, D.C...
where he succeeded Arthur Godfrey
Arthur Godfrey
Arthur Morton Godfrey was an American radio and television broadcaster and entertainer who was sometimes introduced by his nickname, The Old Redhead...
on his own morning show.
Starting in 1960, Austad became a commentator at WTTG
WTTG
WTTG, channel 5, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Fox Broadcasting Company, located in the American capital city of Washington, D.C...
television and in 1961 he became vice president of public affairs at Metropolitan Broadcasting Company, later called Metromedia
Metromedia
Metromedia was a media company that owned radio and television stations in the United States from 1956 to 1986 and owned Orion Pictures from 1986-1997.- Overview :...
, where he stayed until 1981. During this time he continued to host other television shows such as "Panorama Potomac", "Face to Face", "The Mark Evans Show", and "Opinion in the Capitol", which he hosted for 25 years. He was also involved with television documentaries, including an award-winner on pollution called 1985, several on world topics, and one on his visit with Albert Schweitzer
Albert Schweitzer
Albert Schweitzer OM was a German theologian, organist, philosopher, physician, and medical missionary. He was born in Kaysersberg in the province of Alsace-Lorraine, at that time part of the German Empire...
.
Civic activity
Austad participated with various civic and national organizations. He served as a member of the citizens advisory board of the Peace CorpsPeace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
(appointed by President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
), a member of the executive board of the Washington D.C. American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
, a member of the public affairs committee of the United States Chamber of Commerce
United States Chamber of Commerce
The United States Chamber of Commerce is an American lobbying group representing the interests of many businesses and trade associations. It is not an agency of the United States government....
, a member of the board of the Arizona Heart Institute
Arizona Heart Institute
Arizona Heart Institute is a cardiovascular medical center in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. Arizona Heart was the country’s first freestanding outpatient clinic solely dedicated to prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart and blood vessel disease....
, a member of the board of the Disabled American Veterans
Disabled American Veterans
The Disabled American Veterans, or DAV, is an organization for disabled veterans that helps them and their families through various means. It currently has over 1.2 million members...
, and a trustee of the American Automobile Association
American Automobile Association
AAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...
. He received the Silver Beaver Award
Silver Beaver Award
The Silver Beaver Award is the council-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. Recipients of this award are registered adult leaders who have made an impact on the lives of youth through service given to the council...
and in 1970 he was named Scouter of the Year by the National Capital Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
, where he participated for over 25 years. He was invited on eight occasions to speak before the National Geographic Society
National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society , headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical...
. For his "deep commitment to freedom and a strong national defense", in 1987 he received the Bronze Minuteman, the highest award of the Utah National Guard
Utah National Guard
The Utah National Guard consists of the:* Utah Army National Guard**19th Special Forces Group **85th WMD CST**97th Troop Command**115th Engineer Group **211th Aviation Group**300th MI Brigade **640th Regiment...
.
In 1971, in this period of civic involvement, Austad received an honorary doctor of humanities degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
from Weber State College, his alma mater. The school would also later honor Austad by naming its largest theater in its fine arts center The Mark Evans Austad Auditorium.
Austad served for two years as chairman of Washington D.C.'s National Cherry Blossom Festival
National Cherry Blossom Festival
The National Cherry Blossom Festival is a spring celebration in Washington, D.C., commemorating the March 27, 1912, gift of Japanese cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington...
, and in 1973 and 1974 he was chairman of Washington D.C.'s U.S. bicentennial celebration.
Austad served on the presidential inaugural committees both times Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
was elected. In 1969 Austad chaired the Inaugural
First inauguration of Richard Nixon
The first inauguration of Richard Nixon as the 37th President of the United States was held on January 20, 1969. The inauguration marked the commencement of the four-year term of Richard Nixon as President and Spiro Agnew as Vice President...
Ball
Ball (dance)
A ball is a formal dance. The word 'ball' is derived from the Latin word "ballare", meaning 'to dance'; the term also derived into "bailar", which is the Spanish and Portuguese word for dance . In Catalan it is the same word, 'ball', for the dance event.Attendees wear evening attire, which is...
committee, and in 1972 he was vice chairman of the inauguration
Second inauguration of Richard Nixon
The second inauguration of Richard Nixon as the 37th President of the United States was held on January 20, 1973. The inauguration marked the commencement of the second term of Richard Nixon as President and the second term of Spiro Agnew as Vice President. Chief Justice Warren E...
committee. Nixon would appoint Austad to serve as one of the three public members of the United States delegation to the 28th General Assembly of the United Nations. After Nixon's presidential resignation, his successor Gerald Ford appointed Austad as Ambassador to Finland. In 1980 Austad would again serve on an inaugural committee, this time for Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
's first election
United States presidential election, 1980
The United States presidential election of 1980 featured a contest between incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter and his Republican opponent, Ronald Reagan, as well as Republican Congressman John B. Anderson, who ran as an independent...
, after which he was again appointed as an ambassador, this time to Norway.
Ambassadorships
After his service to the Nixon administration and visibility in the Washington D.C. community, Austad was appointed Ambassador to Finland in 1975. In this role, he was also a delegate to the Helsinki Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe which brought about the Helsinki AccordsHelsinki Accords
thumb|300px|[[Erich Honecker]] and [[Helmut Schmidt]] in Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe held in Helsinki 1975....
. Austad became the first American diplomat to be knighted by Finland, under the Order of the White Rose
Order of the White Rose
The Order of the White Rose of Finland is one of three official orders in Finland, along with the Order of the Cross of Liberty, and the Order of the Lion of Finland. The President of Finland is the Grand Master of all three orders. The orders are administered by boards consisting of a chancellor,...
and Order of the Lion
Order of the Lion of Finland
There are three official orders in Finland: the Order of the Cross of Liberty, the Order of the White Rose of Finland and the Order of the Lion of Finland . The President of Finland is the Grand Master of all three orders. The orders are administered by boards consisting of a chancellor, a...
.
In 1981, while living in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire
Wolfeboro, New Hampshire
Wolfeboro is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,269 at the 2010 census. A venerable resort area situated beside Lake Winnipesaukee, Wolfeboro includes the village of Wolfeboro Falls...
and Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
, Austad was appointed Ambassador to Norway by President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
. He served in this position until 1984 and was well received and awarded Norway's highest honor given to foreigners, the Grand Cross of St. Olav's Order, for his work in fighting heart disease. However, he was known for contending with some Norwegians, including the opposition Labor Party
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
, a local Norwegian council, student groups, and a newspaper that frequently ran such headlines as "Austad Strikes Again." He also gained notoriety in the Norwegian media for a 1983 incident in which police were called to a startled woman's home where Austad was loudly banging on the door at 3 a.m. Austad claimed that after hosting an embassy cocktail party, he was on a late-night visit to a friend's house to plan their salmon fishing trip, but his taxi took him to the wrong address. It was alleged that Austad was "apparently under the influence of alcohol" and had spent "half an hour knocking and kicking at her front door Wednesday in an attempt to get in." Police merely dropped Austad back at his hotel, but United States House
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
listed this incident as one of many ethics violations by Reagan Administration officials. Austad viewed the criticism as inaccurate innuendo and media sensationalism, started by the British newspaper Private Eye
Private Eye
Private Eye is a fortnightly British satirical and current affairs magazine, edited by Ian Hislop.Since its first publication in 1961, Private Eye has been a prominent critic and lampooner of public figures and entities that it deemed guilty of any of the sins of incompetence, inefficiency,...
and picked up by other papers and wire services. Austad sued Private Eye for libel and they settled for a "substantial sum", for damages and legal expenses, and printed an apology stating their "article constituted a most serious and damaging libel upon Ambassador Austad." Austad dismissed the controversy, saying Norway's largest newspaper, Aftenposten
Aftenposten
Aftenposten is Norway's largest newspaper. It retook this position in 2010, taking it from the tabloid Verdens Gang which had been the largest newspaper for several decades. It is based in Oslo. The morning edition, which is distributed across all of Norway, had a circulation of 250,179 in 2007...
, praised him as the best U.S. ambassador they had ever had.
Death
Austad died in 1988 at age 71 in Arizona. His funeral was held in Ogden, Utah and his body was buried in Lindquist Washington Heights Memorial Park.External links
- Ambassador Mark Evans Austad Collection held at the Weber State UniversityWeber State UniversityWeber State University is a public university located in the city of Ogden in Weber County, Utah, USA. It was founded in 1889 and is a coeducational, publicly supported university offering professional, liberal arts and technical certificates, as well as associate, bachelor's and master's degrees...
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