Early in May, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation recognized the Pacific Council’s Board of Directors Co-Chair Ambassador Rockwell Schnabel for his ambassadorial role during the Reagan administration, when he served as U.S. Ambassador to Finland (1986-1989). Ambassador Schnabel received a plaque to recognize his “loyalty to this country and commitment to diplomacy around the globe,” according to the Foundation’s Chief Administrative Officer Joanne Drake, who opened the reception to honor Ambassador Schnabel.

In conversation with Ambassador Schnabel, he reminisced on the historically significant events and experiences he witnessed while stationed in Helsinki in the 1980s. 

Ambassador Schnabel was recognized at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley on May 1.

“It was a very interesting time of course,” he said, “because we had a tremendous amount of activity in Helsinki. Many people were coming through Helsinki on their way to Moscow for discussions with Gorbachev at the time. Reagan came to Helsinki before the [Berlin] Wall came down, and before he gave his famous speech in Berlin.”

Ambassador Schnabel was recognized at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley on May 1. In addition to serving as ambassador to Finland, he was also U.S. Ambassador to the European Union (2001-2005) and Acting Secretary of Commerce (1991-1992).

He is the founder and chairman of The Sage Group, a boutique merchant bank in Los Angeles.

The individuals in the photo above are, from left to right, Ambassador Ronald Spogli, Ambassador Frank Baxter, Ambassador Rockwell Schnabel, and Ambassador Robert Tuttle.

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Learn more about Ambassador Schnabel here.