Robert F. Goodwin

Robert F. Goodwin is currently a business consultant. He also speaks frequently to corporate groups, trade association annual meetings and other special groups and organizations on the subject of “Presidential Politics.” Several times each year he lectures on that topic aboard cruise ships.

A former United States Commissioner of the International Joint Commission, United States and Canada, he was sworn in as the United States Ambassador to New Zealand and Western Samoa on October 30, 1992. He was the Vice President and Director of Governmental Affairs at Meredith Corporation from 1977-1992.

He was on the Board of Consultants of Riggs National Bank in Washington, DC from 1985-1992 and served in The White House as an Assistant to President Ford from 1974-1977. He also was a television executive with The Evening Star Broadcast Company in Washington, DC (1960-1969).

During his career, Ambassador Goodwin had the opportunity to serve four US Presidents and two US Vice Presidents as the Lead Advance Representative for their travel abroad. He was the Lead White House Representative for five US-Soviet Summits and two Economic Summits of Industrialized Nations.

In June 2003, Ambassador Goodwin was appointed by President George W. Bush to be the Executive Director of the 2004 G-8 Summit hosted by the President in Sea Island, Georgia in June 2004. This position carried the rank of United States Ambassador.

In 2001, Ambassador Goodwin was the Deputy Director of the Busy-Cheney Presidential Inaugural Committee. In 2005, he served as the Director of Official Proceedings for the Bush-Cheney Inauguration.

He received his Bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University. He is married and has three children and two grandchildren.