Former Ambassador
William R. Timken, Jr. - U.S. Ambassador to Germany 2003-2008
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William Robert Timken, Jr., of Ohio, was sworn in as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Federal Republic of Germany on August 15, 2005. He presented his credentials to German President Horst Köhler on September 2, 2005.
Mr. Timken was previously the non-executive Chairman of the Timken Company. Prior to that, he was Chairman of the Board of Directors until year-end 2003. During his 43-year tenure with the company, Mr. Timken has served in many positions including President, CEO and as Chairman for the last 30 years. The Timken Company is a worldwide NYSE, Fortune 500 company with operations in more than 20 countries, including Germany.
Mr. Timken, a native of Canton, Ohio, received a Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University in 1960 and a Masters in Business Administration from the Harvard Business School in 1962.
His business experience includes service on the boards of directors of numerous public companies. He has also chaired the National Association of Manufacturers, The Manufacturing Institute and the Ohio Business Roundtable. He has served on the Advisory Council of the Stanford University School of Business and was a member of the U.S.-Japan Business Council for 20 years. In 2003, he received a presidential appointment to serve as Chairman of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation.
Mr. Timken has received many honors and awards. He is a Chevalier in the French Legion of Honor and an honorary citizen of Colmar, France. He has received the Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate Citizenship, the Adam Smith Award and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. He has been named Ohio Business Statesman of the Year and has received the Ohio Governors Award.
Mr. Timken is married to Sue Timken. They have six children and seven grandchildren. After more than three years in Germany, Ambassador Timken and his wife returned to the U.S. in December 2008.
