August
28,
2003
Ambassador
John N. Palmer
Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to
Portugal
John N. Palmer was sworn in as
Ambassador to Portugal on November 9, 2001. He
presented his credentials to President Sampaio on
November 28, 2001.
Ambassador Palmer has been an entrepreneur,
telecommunications pioneer, and community leader. He
began his career in telecommunications with the
purchase of a local radio common carrier in 1965. By
1973, he had developed more than nine regional paging
companies throughout the South. That year, he formed
Mobile Communications Corporation of America (MCCA).
During his 16-year tenure as Chairman and President,
MCCA grew to become a significant force in the
cellular telephone business.
In 1989, Ambassador Palmer sold MCCA to BellSouth but
retained certain businesses that became SkyTel
Communications. These operations included SkyTel's
domestic one-way paging and advanced messaging system
and Latin American paging services. SkyTel became a
leader in advanced wireless messaging and deployed the
first nationwide two-way wireless messaging network.
Ambassador Palmer served as Chairman of SkyTel until
its sale to MCI WorldCom in 1999.
Ambassador Palmer has served on the President's Export
Council as a Private Sector Advisor to the Secretary
of Commerce; and as a Private Sector Trade Advisor to
the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. He was a
member of the boards of two New York Stock Exchange
companies, AmSouth Bancorporation and EastGroup.
Ambassador Palmer’s civic leadership efforts
included several board memberships: Chairman of the
National Trustees of the National Symphony Orchestra;
the Institute for Technology Development (ITD);
Foundation for the Mid-South; Trustee of Millsaps
College; and President and Director for the University
of Mississippi Foundation. He also served as
Chairman-Elect of the Mississippi Economic Council.
Ambassador Palmer was also President of the Cellular
Telecommunications Industry Association and Telocator,
both national trade associations. He is a past member
of the Young President's Organization and the Chief
Executives Organization.
Ambassador Palmer holds BA and MBA degrees from the
University of Mississippi. He and his wife Clementine
have four grown children.
