Ralph L. Boyce
Encyclopedia
Ralph Leo "Skip" Boyce is a United States diplomat
and career foreign service officer
with the State Department
.
Boyce was born February 1, 1952, in Washington, D.C. He obtained a B.A. from George Washington University
in 1974 and an M.P.A. from Princeton University
in 1976. Boyce entered the Foreign Service
in 1976 and was assigned to Tehran
as Staff Assistant to the Ambassador in September 1977. In September 1979 he was posted as commercial attaché in Tunis
. In September 1981, he was assigned to Islamabad
as financial economist.
From July 1984 to August 1988, Boyce served in the State Department, first as Special Assistant and then as Advisor to the Deputy Secretary of State, responsible for the foreign affairs budget. In August 1988, he was assigned to Bangkok, Thailand, as Political Counselor, where he served until August 1992, when he was transferred to Singapore
as Deputy Chief of Mission. From June 1993 until September 1994, Boyce was Chargé d'Affaires a.i. in Singapore during the absence of an ambassador. In October 1994, he returned to Bangkok as Deputy Chief of Mission, where he served until August 1998.
Boyce was Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asia and Pacific Affairs from August 1998 to July 2001. His area of responsibility included Southeast Asia, Australia
, New Zealand
, and the Pacific Islands
. He served as United States Ambassador to Indonesia
from October 2001 to October 2004.
Boyce was confirmed as the United States Ambassador to Thailand
on June 25, 2004 and sworn in on December 15, 2004. His term ended on December 26, 2007. On February 12, 2008, the US aircraft manufacturing giant Boeing named Boyce as President of Boeing Southeast Asia. In 2010, Boyce as President of Boeing Southeast Asia was quoted in the Bangkok Post as saying Boeing had a 50:50 chance of winning a contract with Thai International to deliver 77 new aircraft to the company.
In addition to English
, Boyce speaks Persian
, French
and Thai
.
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
and career foreign service officer
United States Foreign Service
The United States Foreign Service is a component of the United States federal government under the aegis of the United States Department of State. It consists of approximately 11,500 professionals carrying out the foreign policy of the United States and aiding U.S...
with the State Department
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
.
Boyce was born February 1, 1952, in Washington, D.C. He obtained a B.A. from George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
in 1974 and an M.P.A. from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1976. Boyce entered the Foreign Service
United States Foreign Service
The United States Foreign Service is a component of the United States federal government under the aegis of the United States Department of State. It consists of approximately 11,500 professionals carrying out the foreign policy of the United States and aiding U.S...
in 1976 and was assigned to Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
as Staff Assistant to the Ambassador in September 1977. In September 1979 he was posted as commercial attaché in Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
. In September 1981, he was assigned to Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
as financial economist.
From July 1984 to August 1988, Boyce served in the State Department, first as Special Assistant and then as Advisor to the Deputy Secretary of State, responsible for the foreign affairs budget. In August 1988, he was assigned to Bangkok, Thailand, as Political Counselor, where he served until August 1992, when he was transferred to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
as Deputy Chief of Mission. From June 1993 until September 1994, Boyce was Chargé d'Affaires a.i. in Singapore during the absence of an ambassador. In October 1994, he returned to Bangkok as Deputy Chief of Mission, where he served until August 1998.
Boyce was Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asia and Pacific Affairs from August 1998 to July 2001. His area of responsibility included Southeast Asia, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and the Pacific Islands
Pacific Islands
The Pacific Islands comprise 20,000 to 30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are also sometimes collectively called Oceania, although Oceania is sometimes defined as also including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago....
. He served as United States Ambassador to Indonesia
United States Ambassador to Indonesia
This is a list of Ambassadors of the United States to Indonesia.Indonesia had been a Dutch colony since 1800 as a part of the Dutch East Indies. The Dutch were expelled in March 1942 by the Japanese occupation of Indonesia. After the surrender of Japan in 1945, Sukarno declared independence on...
from October 2001 to October 2004.
Boyce was confirmed as the United States Ambassador to Thailand
United States Ambassador to Thailand
This is a list of Ambassadors of the United States to Thailand.Thailand has had continuous bilateral relations with the United States since 1882. Relations were interrupted during World War II when Bangkok was occupied by Japanese forces. Normal relations were resumed after the war in 1945.The...
on June 25, 2004 and sworn in on December 15, 2004. His term ended on December 26, 2007. On February 12, 2008, the US aircraft manufacturing giant Boeing named Boyce as President of Boeing Southeast Asia. In 2010, Boyce as President of Boeing Southeast Asia was quoted in the Bangkok Post as saying Boeing had a 50:50 chance of winning a contract with Thai International to deliver 77 new aircraft to the company.
In addition to English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Boyce speaks Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and Thai
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
.