James Catherwood Hormel, born January 1, 1931 in Austin, Minnesota, is a philanthropist and heir to the fortune of George Hormel , founder of Hormel Foods (producers of SPAM and other meat products). He lives in San Francisco.

Distinctions

• Dean of the University of Chicago Law School
• Member of the 1996 US delegation to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
• Member of the 1996 US delegation to the United Nations General Assembly
• Member of the Board of Directors, San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
• Member of the Board of Directors of American Foundation for AIDS Research
• US Ambassador to Luxembourg
• A founder and member of the Board of Directors of the Human Rights Campaign, 1981

After a long history of contributions to the civil rights agenda, he was made US ambassador to Luxembourg by President Bill Clinton in 1999. When he was appointed, he became the first openly gay man to represent the United States as an ambassador. His partner, Timothy Wu, held the bible on which he swore his oath of office.

Education

• B.A. History 1955, Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania
• Law 1958, University of Chicago Law School, Chicago, Illinois

Sources

• [US State Department Biography]
• [glbtq.com biography]