Ronald A. Tschetter (born October 4, 1941) was the 17th Director of the Peace Corps.
Education and Peace Corps service Tschetter earned a bachelor's degree from Bethel UniversityThe White House. "Personnel Announcement." July 25, 2006. in psychology and social studies. After college, he and some friends traveled and hitchhiked around Europe, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Egypt. He returned home and met and married his wife Nancy. "One day we saw this Peace Corps ad, and I said to Nancy, 'We're going to do this work stuff the rest of our lives. Let's go out and see if we can do some good,'" Tschetter says.Billings Gazette. "Nominee recalls his days in Corps" by Jan Falstad. July 29, 2006. Although the couple wanted to serve in Turkey, Iran, or Afghanistan, Tschetter and his wife were assigned to teach family-planning techniques in Maharashtra,Miami Herald. "Peace Corps volunteer can't stop giving" by Priscilla Greear. October 25, 2007. India, beginning in 1966. "We lucked out. India was more different than any of them," says Tschetter. "Wow, what a country." Over the years the Tschetters have returned to India five times to visit their friends. Once as a Peace Corps volunteer, Tschetter traveled across India to deliver medicine to a village suffering from a smallpox epidemic. "Ultimately the village recovered," said Tschetter. "And today, smallpox is eradicated in the world and it is because of this and thousands of other experiences like it."Naples News. "Peace Corps seeing resurgence, new chief says" by Amie Parnes. October 2, 2006.
Career as investment executive Tschetter began his career in 1970 as both a retail and institutional investment executive with Blyth Eastman Dillon Union Securities. He joined Dain Rauscher in 1973 as a broker and spent 28 years there primarily in management before he retired.National Peace Corps Association. "Ron Tschetter (India 66-68) Confirmed to Lead Peace Corps" September 29, 2006. In 2004 Tschetter was named President of D.A. Davidson & Co., a full-service investment firm based in the Northwest. Tschetter served on the Securities Industry Association Sales and Marketing Committee and the New York Stock Exchange Regional Firms Advisory Committee.
Peace Corps Director
The White House announced Tschetter's nomination on July 25, 2006, and Tschetter was confirmed as Director of the Peace Corps by the U.S. Senate on September 13, 2006, and was sworn in on September 26, 2006, becoming the third returned Peace Corps volunteer to serve as director and the first under a Republican administration. Tschetter had previously served on the National Peace Corps Association board from 1993 to 1999, as board chairman from 1995 to 1998 and as an honorary board member from 2000 to 2003.
In an interview with Drew Houff of the Winchester Star in March 2008, Tschetter said that representing the Peace Corps is an honor. "It’s the best job in Washington — I report directly to the president," Tschetter says. "It is bipartisan, apolitical, and supported by most everyone. It also is strongly recognized as a great brand. I tell the new volunteers, ‘You are working for the gold standard of volunteerism in the Peace Corps.’"
Promoting the Peace Corps Tschetter says that his service as a volunteer was a life changing experience and for the past 40 years he and his wife have worked to convince others to make the same commitment.The Winchester Star. "Peace Corps director leads by his example" by Drew Houff. March 28, 2008. "When you do and are going through it, you just don’t realize how much it is going to impact your life," says Tschetter. "Your whole value system, your insight, perceptions are impacted as such that it really changes your outlook. It changes what you do, and it changes your desire to serve." Tschetter says that he almost always accepts invitations to talk about the Peace Corps especially at universities because it helps bring new volunteers into the program and helps people understand what the Peace Corps does. "When I get an invitation from a university, it gets my attention because I just know what this can do for a young person who decides to do it," Tschetter says. "I am here to encourage the students that this is an option in your life that you ought to give serious consideration."
Recruitment of older volunteers During his confirmation hearings Tschetter announced that he would make recruiting older volunteers a priority for the Peace Corps. "I hope to examine the agency’s recruiting process in order to broaden the applicant pool and better tap into the Baby Boom generation-- a rich harvestable field of potential Volunteers."National Peace Corps Association. "Statement of Ronald A. Tschetter." September 5, 2006. In April, 2007, the Peace Corps announced the new "50 plus initiative."Peace Corps Press Release. "Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter Travels to Seattle-Tacoma Area to Visit Top Colleges and Recruit Baby Boomers." April 26, 2007. Under the initiative, older volunteers will be placed in nine test countries: Cameroon, Lesotho and South Africa, along with Ukraine, Romania, Thailand, Jamaica, Dominican Republic and Panama. As part of the program Peace Corps' recruiting messages will be focused on adults 50 and older and publicized through groups such as the AARP and the National Retired Teachers Association. Older volunteers must successfully complete the medical clearing process to serve overseas. "We can't compromise. When we send people abroad, there is no fancy hospital around the corner," says Tschetter.Great Falls Tribune. "Peace Corps recruiting volunteers from pool of retiring baby boomers" by Mallory Nelson. May 31, 2008. Medical screening, traditionally a lengthy and onerous process for older applicants, will be streamlined, and the transition time from acceptance to placement may be lengthened so older volunteers have more time to deal with personal affairs.Seattle Times. "Peace Corps ventures out to attract some older volunteers" by Marsha King. April 26, 2007.
The Peace Corps announced a goal to boost the ranks of volunteers 50 and older from 5 percent of the 7,749 Americans in the Peace Corps to 15 percent over the next two years. "There's around 80 million baby boomers that are now starting to retire. They're healthy and they have a real service element to them," said Tschetter during a trip to Montana in May 2008. "They love to give of themselves in a variety of service ways including volunteerism."KPAX-TV "Peace Corps director travels Montana" May 30, 2008. The Peace Corps reported in August, 2008 that applications from seniors had risen 50% since the campaign began in September 2007.USA Today. "Peace Corps wish fulfilled years later" by Korie Wilkins and Andrew Seaman. August 12, 2008. The new campaign - called "Still Asking What You Can Do for Your Country?" is designed to appeal to baby boomers who grew up in the Kennedy years. "JFK was a role model for everyone I knew back in the early '60s," said Loyci Stockey, 64, who is beginning his service as a Peace Corps volunteer in Uganda. "He'd spoken passionately (during) my high school graduation year about some new program he was starting called the Peace Corps. I never forgot his message, and I tucked it away in the back of my head to act on someday. Today is my someday."
Murder of Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines After the disappearance of Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell in the Philippines in April, 2007, Tschetter flew to Manila to meet with Peace Corps volunteers and government officials to express his support and gather first hand information on the situation. GMA News. "US Peace Corps director arriving in Manila." April 16, 2007. After Campbell's body was recovered, Tschetter met with Philippine President Arroyo to thank the Philippine people and the government for their search efforts.Office of the President, republic of the Philippines. "U.S. Peace Corps head thanks PGMA for support in rescue efforts for missing Campbell." April 18, 2007. A local citizen, Juan Donald Duntugan, was subsequently arrested for Campbell's murder,Philippine News. "Filipino pleads not guilty to murdering Peace Corps volunteer." June 27, 2007. found guilty, and sentenced to life in prison in June, 2008.The Inquirer. "Life in prison for killer of Peace Corps volunteer" by Melvin Gascon. June 30, 2008. Tschetter visited the Philippines in September 2008 and met with President Arroyo to personally relay his gratitude for the speedy resolution of the Campbell case. "I cannot express enough my appreciation to the Philippine government for the way they handled the situation, how quickly they found the body," said Tschetter. "The incident has not affected our opinion and our presence in the Philippines. We don't see any situation at the present time that could threaten our presence in the Philippines."ABS CBN News. "US Peace Corps faces challenges of security, inflation" by Caroline J. Howard. September 5, 2008.
Actions by U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania Michael Retzer On June 14, 2007, the Peace Corps issued a press release announcing its strong disagreement with the decision of Michael Retzer, U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania, to withdraw the authorization for Peace Corps Country Director Christine Djondo to remain in Tanzania. "The Peace Corps has always had full confidence in Ms. Djondo as country director. Unfortunately, U.S. Ambassador Michael Retzer did not concur and has exercised his authority as chief of mission to withdraw the authorization for Ms. Djondo to remain in country." The Press Release added that the adverse effects of Retzer's decision on the Peace Corps program in Tanzania included affecting "the morale of Volunteers, new trainees, and staff" and that "because of the number of staff transitions in Tanzania, the June training class is being reduced by half to ensure adequate support for currently serving Volunteers and the new training class."Peace Corps Press Release. "Peace Corps strongly disagrees with Ambassador Michael Retzer's decision to withdraw the authorization for Peace Corps Country Director Christine Djondo to remain in Tanzania" June 14, 2007. An archival copy of the Press Release is available here. Note: The information from this source is a product of an agency of the US Federal government is not subject to Fair Use restrictions as it is in the public domain.
On June 27 Senator Chris Dodd put a hold on the nomination of Mark Green to replace Retzer as Ambassador citing Retzer's action as interference in the independence of the Peace Corps. Dodd asked that Retzer rescind his cable of no confidence of Djondo or that the State Department provide a written apology to her.Green Bay Press Gazette. "Green ambassadorship being held up." June 27, 2007. The link to the original story has expired. An archival link is available on Peace Corps Online. On June 28, the State Department provided a written letter of apology to Djondo and Senator Dodd released his hold on Green's nomination allowing it to go forward.Appleton Post Crescent. "State Department apology ends hold on Mark Green's nomination" by Ellyn Ferguson. June 27, 2007. The link to the original story has expired. An archival link is available on Peace Corps Online.
Embassy incident in Bolivia