The Rotary Club of Orangeville, The Greater Dufferin Homebuilders Association, and the Greater Dufferin Area Chamber of Commerce will present United States Consul General Kevin Johnson as the guest speaker for their 2010 Industry Luncheon.

Mr. Johnson has represented the U.S. as Consul General in Toronto since August of 2009. Joining the Foreign Service in 1983, he served in eight embassies in Europe and Latin America as well as in Washington before coming to Canada.

Mr. Johnson served as Deputy Chief of Mission

DCM) in Oslo, Norway from 2006 to 2009, and as DCM in Asuncion, Paraguay from 2003 to 2006. He is a 2003 distinguished graduate of the National War College in Washington D.C.

Previously, he served as Counselor of Embassy for Political Affairs in San Salvador from 1999 to 2002, and Senior Watch Officer in the Department of State’s Operations Center 1998-99. He was an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellow, working in the office of Senator Richard Lugar from 1997 to 1998, and served as a political officer in Helsinki 1994- 1997 and in San Salvador 1990-1993 when he covered the end of the Salvadoran civil war and successful peace process. He served earlier in administrative positions in Bonn, Germany and Buenos Aires, Argentina and as a Vice Consul in Bogotá, Colombia. Mr. Johnson holds Masters in National Security Strategy from the National War College and Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University. He completed his undergraduate degree in International Studies at American University in Washington, also serving as an intern in the State Department’s Bureau of International Organization Affairs.

Kevin is married to America Johnson and has two grown sons. He will be speaking on several issues that our two nations have in common.

The event will take place at the Best Western Orangeville next Thursday, February 11. Doors open at 11:30 with Mr. Johnson’s speech running from 12:10 to 12:55. Mr. Johnson will be available for questions from the media following lunch at approximately 2:00.