Michael C. Polt, nominated by President George W. Bush as ambassador to Serbia and Montenegro, was sworn in on May 13, 2004, following Senate confirmation. He was sworn in as ambassador to the Republic of Estonia on November 30, 2009.
Born in Austria, Polt received the master’s in public administration from UT in 1977. During his career as a diplomat, he served as US minister and deputy chief of mission of the US Embassy in Berlin and deputy chief of mission and chargé d’affaires of the US Embassy in Bern. He has also served as senior advisor to the director general of the Foreign Service for Management Reform. He served as deputy director for European Security and Arms Control Issues for the Department of State, and served in Panama City as political counselor of the US Embassy during the time leading up to the US military action against the Noriega regime in 1989. He has also served in several other embassies.
He is the recipient of the Presidential Meritous Service Award and numerous Department of State Meritous and Superior Honor Awards for Outstanding Policy Leadership, Management, Crisis Performance, and Political Analysis. He has been awarded the Thomas Jefferson Award for Service to US Citizens Overseas by the American Citizens Abroad.