Spitz, Mark Andrew, 1950-, American swimmer, b. Modesto, Calif. He held records for winning the most gold medals at one Olympic game (seven, in 1972 at Munich) and shared the record for most Olympic gold medals overall (nine, 1968-72) until surpassed in both by Michael Phelps in the 2008. Spitz's 1972 victories were in the 100-m and 200-m freestyle, the 100-m and 200-m butterfly, and as a member of three relay teams. In 1968, at Mexico City, he won golds in two relays, a silver in the 100-m butterfly, and a bronze in the 100-m freestyle. Spitz retired and became a television sports commentator.

(born Feb. 10, 1950, Modesto, Calif., U.S.) U.S. swimmer. He swam in college for Indiana University. At the 1968 Olympic Games he won two gold medals in team relay races. In the 1972 Olympics he won four individual men's events (setting world records in all four) and three team events (one world record); Spitz's feat of winning seven gold medals in a single Olympic Games remains unmatched.

Learn more about Spitz, Mark (Andrew) with a free trial on Britannica.com.

(born Feb. 10, 1950, Modesto, Calif., U.S.) U.S. swimmer. He swam in college for Indiana University. At the 1968 Olympic Games he won two gold medals in team relay races. In the 1972 Olympics he won four individual men's events (setting world records in all four) and three team events (one world record); Spitz's feat of winning seven gold medals in a single Olympic Games remains unmatched.

Learn more about Spitz, Mark (Andrew) with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Mark Andrew Green (born June 1, 1960) is an American politician and United States Ambassador to Tanzania, a position he has held since August 2007. He was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1999 to 2007, representing . His term ended in January 2007 when he did not seek re-election, opting to run for Governor of Wisconsin. He now serves as the United States Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania.

Early life, education, and career

Green was born in Boston, Massachusetts. His family moved often, and as a child he lived in Jersey City, New Jersey, Cincinnati, Ohio, England, South Africa and Australia. He attended Abbot Pennings High School in De Pere, Wisconsin.

Green graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 1983. While at U.W.E.C., Green was named a National Association of Inter-Collegiate Athletics (N.A.I.C) Academic All-American and a member of the N.A.I.A. All-American Swimming Team. In 1982, he was voted U.W.E.C.'s Outstanding Scholar-Athlete.

In 1987, he received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In law school, he served as a managing editor of the Wisconsin Law Reviewand won the Justice Robert Jacson Award from the Washignton, D.C. Foreign Law Society for "Best Published Student Writing on a Foreign Law Subject." Following graduation from law school, Green joined the law firm Godfrey & Kahn S.C. at their Green Bay offices. In 1992, he was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly, where he served for six years and rose to the position of director of the Republican Caucus.

U.S. House

Green first ran for a House seat in 1998. In a difficult year for Republican candidates, following the impeachment of President Clinton, Green was the only Republican Congressional candidate to oust an incumbent Democrat. He defeated first-term Representative Jay Johnson, with 54% of the vote. Green won his next three elections with 70% or more of the vote each time, against little-known opponents.

Green was an active member of the House International Relations Committee in the 107 - 109th sessions of Congress. He played a leading role in crafting important foreign policy initiatives such as the Millennium Challenge Act, the Global Access to HIV/AIDS Prevention, Awareness and Treatment Act of 2001, and the U.S. Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act. He was also a supported of the wars effort in Afganistan and Iraq, and cofounded the Victory in Iraq Caucus.

Green used his postion on the House Judiciary Committee to help craft and pass tougher laws aimed at protecting childern and familes. He played a leading role in expanding the Violence Against Women Act, and wrote the "Two Strikes and You're Out Child Proctection Act", which cracks down on repeat child molesters and the "Debbie Smith Act," which assists law enforcement in modernizing dna database. He also helped shape the "Adam Walsh Act Child Protection and Safety Act."

He Suppoerted the death penalty and supported the No Child Left Behind act.

In January 1999, Green was appointed an Assistant Majority Whip by then-House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, and then re-appointed by House Majority Whip Roy Blunt.

2006 Campaign for Governor

Green unsuccessfully ran for Governor of Wisconsin against current Governor Jim Doyle, a Democrat.

Green had no opponent in the Republican Party (GOP) primary. Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker dropped out of the GOP primary on March 24, 2006, citing lack of campaign funds. There was also brief speculation that former Governor and 2008 presidential candidate Tommy Thompson would enter the race, but he too declined, making Green the Republican nominee. After the Republican primary, Green was joined on the ticket by State Rep. Jean Hundertmark of Clintonville. Hundertmark defeated Nick Voegeli in the Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor.

Campaign funding controversy

On January 25, 2005, Green’s federal campaign account converted nearly all of its funds into a state campaign fund “Green for Wisconsin. One day later, on January 26, 2005, the Wisconsin State Elections Board (SEB) voted to prohibit state campaign committees from spending certain types of funds converted from a federal campaign account, and then voted to apply this decision retroactively to Green for Wisconsin. On September 8, 2006, Green for Wisconsin filed suit in Dane County Circuit Court (Case No. 06-CV-3055) to challenge the application of the SEB action to Green for Wisconsin. It later withdrew the action so that it could file its suit directly with the Wisconsin Supreme Court. On March 16, 2007, Green for Wisconsin and the SEB reached a full settlement of this matter through a signed and filed stipulation.

The stipulation provided: “The Parties agree that when Green for Wisconsin converted the disputed funds from Petitioner Mark Green’s federal campaign committee to his state committee on January 25, 2005, it complied with (1) previous Board determinations with respect to similar matters; (2) ElBd 1.39, as written and interpreted at the time; and (3) instructions provided by the Board’s staff.” And “This Stipulation resolves all claims either party has or may have with respect to the Board’s September 6, 2006 Order and with respect to any other claims raised, or which could have been raised, by any party prior to the date of this stipulation with respect to any matters that were the subject of this litigation.”

In a separate action, the Federal Election Commission also concluded that Green for Wisconsin did not violate federal campaign laws.

 The SEB was subsequently eliminated by the Wisconsin State Legislature and replaced with a bipartisan Government Accountability Board.

US Ambassador to Tanzania

On June 8, 2007 President George W. Bush announced Mark Green's nomination to be Ambassador to Tanzania. In 1987 and 1988, Green and his wife had served as volunteer teachers in Kenya with WorldTeach and while in Africa, they visited rural areas of neighboring countries, including Tanzania. Senator Russ Feingold, chairman of the African Affairs Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, held hearings on Green's nomination as Ambassador on June 19.

Initially, Senator Chris Dodd, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, put a hold on Mark Green's nomination to replace Michael Retzer as Ambassador citing Retzer's action of revoking the country clearance of Peace Corps Country Director Christine Djondo as interference in the independence of the Peace Corps. Dodd asked that Retzer rescind his cable of no confidence in Djondo or that the State Department provide a written apology to her. On June 28, the State Department provided a written letter of apology to Djondo and Senator Dodd released his hold on Green's nomination saying he was confident that Green "would be a welcome alternative to his predecessor."

On June 28, 2007 Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts also initially put a block on Green's nomination as ambassador to Tanzania. Kerry placed a hold or a block on Green's nomination because Green is not a career diplomat. According to the State Department, about 65 percent of U.S. ambassadors are career foreign service officers, with the remaining 35 percent political appointees. However, Green had public support of the entire Wisonsin Congressional delegation, Democrat and Republican, as well as a number of other key Democratic leaders.

On August 3, 2007 the Senate confirmed Mark Green as Ambassador to Tanzania by unanimous consent.

Historic Developments

A number of historic developments have occurred during Green’s tenure. They include President George W. Bush’s visit in February 2008 (the first ever official visit by a sitting U.S. president and the longest visit by a U.S. president in a single African nation), Tanzania’s hosting of Sullivan Summit VIII (the first Sullivan Summit in East Africa), President Kikwete’s White House visit in August 2008, and the signing of the largest Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact in history.

Green’s tenure has also seen significant developments inside the American presence in Tanzania. Most noticeably, the size of assistance programs has increased dramatically -- from the launching of a $700 Million MCC Compact to the increase in anti-AIDS/HIV and malaria funding.

According to the Pew Global Attitudes Project, favorable views of America among Tanzanians increased approximately 19 points (46% to 65%) from 2007 to 2008 -- the largest increase of any of the 24 nations surveyed by Pew that year.

Leading During a Time of Change

During his tenure, Green has led the effort to increase American diplomatic influence by strengthening the American brand image. As stated in the new Mission Strategic Plan, “We aim to influence Tanzanian public opinion to consider favorably US policies and programs in the light of the significant contributions by the American people toward Tanzania's development. . . . Public Diplomacy is purposefully integrated into the work of every agency and section, linking American contributions to Tanzania's development with our policy objectives.” He has done this through such measures as developing a unified assistance logo, producing cards and sheets that summarize U.S. assistance in clear and concise terms, traveling to every part of the country to highlight American “good works,” using all forms of media to push the American message, and empowering every member of his team to spread the message wherever they go. The Road to Ambassador: Deep Roots in International Policy

Ambassador Green has been active in international matters for many years. He served on the House International Relations Committee (now, “Foreign Affairs Committee”) in the 107 - 109th Congresses, and served on the subcommittees for Africa and human rights.

He played a leading role in crafting the Millennium Challenge Act, America’s historic commitment to invest in developing nations that are pursuing political and economic reforms. He played an important role in enacting the Global Access to HIV/AIDS Prevention, Awareness and Treatment Act of 2001, and the U.S. Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act. He worked on legislation covering critically important policy areas like international terrorism and human trafficking.

In 2005, Green worked with the National Democratic Institute, International Republican Institute and State Department as an election observer in Kenya. Before that, he traveled to West Africa with the Academy for Educational Development, Oxfam and Save the Children to look at and work on programs related to women’s health and education in Africa.

Years earlier, Green and his wife, Susan, served as teachers in Kenya with WorldTeach Project, a development organization at Harvard University.

A Long Record of Public Service

In Green’s four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, he served as an Assistant Majority Whip and was an active member of the House Judiciary Committee. He served as Vice Chair of the Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee, and co-founded the bipartisan Faith-Based Caucus. He co-led the floor debate on the "Faith-Based Initiative," a groundbreaking plan to re-enlist the community of faith in the national fight against poverty and social crises. As part of that effort, he co-founded the bipartisan Faith-Based Caucus.

Green was a leader in designing tough laws aimed at protecting children and families. He wrote legislation expanding the Violence Against Women Act. He authored the “Two Strikes and You’re Out Child Protection Act,” which cracks down on repeat child molesters and the “Debbie Smith Act,” which assists law enforcement in modernizing dna databases. He also helped shape the “Adam Walsh Act Child Protection and Safety Act.”

Prior to his election to the House, Green served for six years in the Wisconsin State Assembly, where he chaired both the Judiciary Committee and Assembly Republican Caucus. He helped lead the state legislature through some of its most historic battles. He also served on the Board of the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA), and helped reform state housing policy. He was one of 4 legislators on the “SAVE Commission” which, patterned after Ronald Reagan’s Grace Commission, launched a number of major governmental reforms.

His legislative work has won him awards from a variety of groups such as the Wisconsin and American Farm Bureaus, US Chamber of Commerce, NFIB, NRA, Wisconsin Builders Association, State Medical Society, Citizens Against Government Waste, Watchdogs of the Treasury, and the Seniors Coalition.

Personal Background

Green earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. There, as a member of the school’s swim team, he was selected an All-American by the National Association of Inter-Collegiate Athletics and was named “most valuable swimmer” for both the university and the Wisconsin State University Conference. In October 1997, he was inducted into the Blugold Hall of Fame. He received his law degree at UW-Madison, serving as a managing editor of the Wisconsin Law Review and receiving a national award for a legal commentary that he authored.

Mark and Sue Green have been married since August 1995, and they have three teenage children.

Citations

External links

• Green's Campaign Website
• Associated Press profile
• Dodd puts hold on Mark Green's nomination for US ambassador to Tanzania

Electoral history