Former Ambassadors
Clifford M. Sobel (2001-2005) Nominated by President George W. Bush in July 2001, he presented his credentials to Her Majesty Queen Beatrix in December 2001. Ambassador Sobel’s career has been noteworthy for its wide experience in the business world, as well as its diversity, and his community and philanthropic service. In 2004, his contribution to the high tech community in the Netherlands was recognized by the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sectors when he was named the ICT personality of the year. Prior to becoming United States Ambassador to the Netherlands, Clifford Sobel was Chairman of Net2Phone, Inc., a public company listed on the NASDAQ (NTOP) and the largest provider of Internet telephone service, marketing a broad range of enhanced Internet communication applications. Ambassador Sobel was also Chairman and President of SJJ Investment Corporation and CMS Realty Company, where he was responsible for investment decisions in a wide variety of areas. He was chairman of the Sobel Foundation, which contributed to numerous charities, many supporting children in need. From 1985-1991, he was a founder and board member of Norcrown Bank of Roseland, New Jersey. During the 1970s and 80s, he founded and later became Chairman of several companies that designed, manufactured and imported fixtures for retail interiors and themed environments. These companies became some of the fastest growing and most innovative in the industry, and were awarded the Sears Chairman's Award as well as numerous design awards under Ambassador Sobel's management. By Presidential appointment, Clifford Sobel served on the United States Holocaust Memorial Council in Washington, D.C. from 1994 to 1998. He was on the board of the Lexington Institute, a wide-ranging public policy think tank based in Arlington. Virginia, whose primary focuses are education reform, national security, deregulation, corporate governance and tax rate reduction. Prior to his service at the The Lexington Institute, he served as Chairman of the Board Overseer of The Alexis de Tocqueville Institution, also a public policy think tank. From 1987 to 1989, he was appointed to the U.S. Government Industry Sector International Trade Board. Ambassador Sobel was on the advisory boards of Empower America and the Republican Leadership Council, and served on the board and as a member of the policy committee of Business Executives for National Security (BENS). He was asked to testify before Congress on fast-track international trade treaties and from 1993 to 1997, he served as a Secretary of Defense appointment to the Board of Visitors of the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, California. He was a delegate to the Republican National Conventions in 1996 and 2000, and served on the Platform Committee and the Sub-Committee on Foreign Policy in 2000. He served as the New Jersey financial chairman of the primary and presidential campaigns for [then] Governor George W. Bush. In 1998, he accompanied Governor Bush on a fact-finding mission to Israel. In his home state of New Jersey, Ambassador Sobel is a member of the Board of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and served on the executive committees of Prosperity New Jersey, a state committee for the growth of New Jersey, and of the United Jewish Federation of Metrowest NJ. Ambassador Sobel attended the University of Vermont and graduated with honors from New York University's School of Commerce. In 1999, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Laws degree from Kean University, New Jersey in recognition of his public service contribution.
Ambassador Clifford M. Sobel was the 62nd Ambassador of the United States to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.