Biography of Ambassador David L. Aaron
In addition to serving as a special envoy for cryptography, Ambassador David
L. Aaron is the United States Permanent Representative to the Organization
for Economic Cooperation and Development. The OECD is a group of 29 of
the most advanced industrialized countries, and is dedicated to fostering
economic growth by a more open global economy. In this connection, OECD
is developing guidelines for cryptography in international communications
and commerce.
Ambassador Aaron has served in both the government and the private sector.
A graduate of Occidental College and Princeton University, he entered the
Foreign Service in 1962, where he had a variety of posts including NATO
and the strategic arms limitations talks. After leaving the Foreign Service,
he continued in government in several positions, including Legislative Assistant
to Senator Walter E. Mondale and Deputy National Security to President Jimmy
Carter. In the latter capacity he served as a confidential Presidential
emmissary to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
He was awarded the National Defense Medal in 1981.
Upon leaving government, Mr. Aaron became Vice President for Mergers and
Acquisitions at Oppenheimer and Company, a member of the board of Oppenheimer
International, and subsequently a member of the board of Oppenheimer's Quest
for Value Dual Purpose Fund.
Mr. Aaron has also been a Senior Fellow at the Twentieth Century Fund, served
on the boards of the National Democratic Institute, and the International
League for Human Rights, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
He is the author of three novels which have been translated and published
in ten languages.
He is married to Chloe W. Aaron, who is a television producer.
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Posted on November 16, 1996