Mr. Tragen worked for more than 50 years in inter-American diplomatic and developmental affairs
SAN DIEGO, CA, July 27, 2019 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Mr. Tragen with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Mr. Tragen celebrates many years' experience in his professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Mr. Tragen worked for more than 50 years in inter-American diplomatic and development affairs with posts in seven Latin American countries and nine assignments in Washington, DC, as a United States Foreign Service Officer and an official of the Organization of American States. Culminating in his appointment as the first executive director of the inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission from 1986 to 1994, before returning to California where he has been a consultant on inter-American relations and illicit narcotic trafficking. His autobiography "Two Lifetimes as One: Ele and Me and Foreign Service" highlights that long career.
Mr. Tragen, overcoming a severe hearing loss, started his career in Mexico in 1947 as a personnel officer and adviser on Mexican Labor Law for the Mexico-United States Commission for the Eradication of Food-and-Mouth Disease, followed by a 1950 to 1953 appointment as the Pan American Sanitary bureau/World Health Organization Personnel Officer for the Western Hemisphere. In 1953, he was assigned labor adviser to El Salvador and Chile under the United States Technical Assistance Program before being integrated into the United States Foreign Service as Labor Attachè in Venezuela. In 1962, during the alliance for Progress, in Washington, DC, he rose to be the Director of Institutional Development for Latin America for the combined Department of State and Agency for International Development Program.
From 1965 to 1968, Mr. Tragen served as the director of the United States AID program in Bolivia. He was the director of the Department of State Office of Argentine, Paraguayan and Uruguayan Affairs. Followed by his appointment as Vice President of the Inter-American Foundation from 1971 to 1973, director of the Regional Office for Central American Programs from 1973 to 1975, director of the United States AID program and Embassy Economic Counsellor in Panama from 1975 to 1977 and deputy United States representative to the OAS from 1977 to 1980.
In 1980, he joined the Organazation of American States as Executive Officer of the Inter-American Economic and Social Council. In 1995, he helped found the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission and appointed its executive secretary from 1986 to 1984. From 1995 to 1997, he was the advisor to Central American Legal Center on Drug Control. From 1999 to 2002, he was a member of the advisory board of the School of International Relations at the University of the Pacific.
Mr. Tragen, now retired and 97 years old, remains involved in community affairs as a member of the board of trustees of the Museo de las America in Denver, Colorado, in the creation of the Tragen Chair of Comparative Law at the University of California, Berkeley, the development of the Tragen Fund for Geriatric Research at the University of California, San Diego and speaking engagements at the San Diego North County World Affairs and university seminars.
A graduate of the University of California Berkeley, he earned his Bachelor of Arts in 1943, a Juris Doctor in 1945 and an advanced law degree at the University of Chile in 1946. His contributions have been recognized with various awards, including the Superior Honor Award of the Department of State, the Career Achievement Award of the United States Agency for International Development, the Order of Bolivar from Bolivia, the Order of Columbus from the Dominican Republic, the Citation from the University of California Law School and a Proclamation from the City and County of Denver. In 2018, he was honored by International House Berkeley as the 2018 Ambassador of Peace and Public Service. Likewise, he was selected for the inclusion in editions of Who's Who in Finance and Industry, Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World.
In recognition of outstanding contributions to his profession and the Marquis Who's Who community, Mr. Tragen has been featured on the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement website. Please visit www.ltachievers.com for more information about this honor.
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