J. William Middendorf

Who is J. William Middendorf?

John William Middendorf II is a former Republican United States diplomat.

John William Middendorf II received a Bachelor of Naval Science degree from College of the Holy Cross in 1945. In World War II he served in the Navy as engineer officer and navigator aboard USS LCS 53, being mustered out in 1946.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard College in 1947, where he was a member of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals and the Owl Club. He also graduated from New York University's Graduate School of Business Administration, receiving an M.B.A. in 1954.

He became an investment banker and in 1963 in partnership with Austen Colgate formed his own company, Middendorf, Colgate and Company.

An early member of Barry Goldwater's presidential campaign, he served as treasurer of that campaign, and continued to have the same duties with the Republican National Committee from 1965–1969, when Richard Nixon appointed him ambassador to the Netherlands, where he served until 1973.

After returning to the U.S., he became Under Secretary, then Secretary of the Navy from 1974–1977, and was President and Chief Executive Officer of Financial General Bankshares from 1977-1981. In 1981 he was named Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the Organization of American States, with the rank of Ambassador.