For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
July 27, 2001

President Bush to Nominate Sembler to be the Ambassador of the United States to Italy

President George W. Bush today announced his intention to nominate Melvin F. Sembler to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Italy.

"Mel Sembler is a successful business leader and an experienced diplomat. As the next U.S. Ambassador to Italy, he will strengthen the close relationship that the United States and Italy share," said President Bush.

Mel Sembler is the Chairman of the Board of the Sembler Company, a shopping center development and financing company. He served as Ambassador to Australia under former President Bush. President Reagan appointed him to the White House Conference for a Drug Free America, and he was an advisor on drug policy to former President Bush and former Florida Governor Bob Martinez. In 1976 Sembler founded STAIGHT, an adolescent drug rehabilitation program which has graduated over 12,000 young adults nationwide. His community involvement includes service as the Chairman of the Drug Free America Foundation and on the boards of the International Council of Shopping Centers and the Florida Holocaust Museum. A former member of the U.S. Army, he is a graduate of Northwestern University.

                                     ###