are political appointees, who typically are large donors to the party in power. Nassif secured his position through hard work as he was neither a large donor nor a career public servant. He came to the ambassadorship with several goals established by President Reagan involving diplomatic relations among the countries in North Africa, including re-establishing the relationship between Algeria and Morocco and ending the war in the Western Sahara. There were also many other initiatives including rooting out some systemic diseases. While he was ambassador, some significant activities occurred including the bombing of Libya by the United States. “We were very successful in getting everything done that was asked of us, including restoring diplomatic relations with Algiers and ending the war in the Western Sahara.” In fact, Nassif was decorated by the late King Hassan II of Morocco and the president of Lebanon for his work on Middle East issues. He calls the experience life changing and said it is one of the highlights of his life. “I was asked to stay on for the administration of George Bush
Nassif as the Deputy Chief of Protocol in the Reagan Administration
position with San Diego’s largest firm— Gray, Cary, Ames & Frye. He maintained an office in the Imperial Valley and got further involved in that community, both professionally and personally. It was that involvement that led to his second career… this time in the public sector. The Public Servant It was in late 1980s, after President-elect Ronald Reagan had won the election, that Chuck Tyson contacted Nassif and asked him if he would consider working in the Reagan Administration. Tyson had worked for Reagan when he was governor of California and he was named as a member of Reagan’s first National Security Council team in D.C. Nassif went to President Reagan’s inauguration, but was reluctant to take a position in the new administration and disrupt his family life and career. “But then I was offered the position of Deputy Chief of Protocol for The White House where I’d be greeting all of the leaders and high level people that would come visit. That was just too interesting to pass up. Zinetta and I prayed about it and decided we would do it for a couple of years. I was appointed in April. The kids (ages of 11 and 9) finished the school year in the Imperial Valley and then the family joined me in Washington.” From there, Nassif ’s diplomatic career took off. “It was a case of the harder I worked, the luckier I got.” He became Acting Chief of Protocol and then was promoted to the position
of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near East and South Asian affairs in 1983. It was a plum job as Nassif was very much interested in working on policy for the Middle East, where his family roots were deeply planted. Two years later, in 1985, he was selected by President Ronald Reagan to serve as ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco. He and his family moved to Morocco, and he stayed in that position until the end of Reagan’s term. In the world of ambassadors, about half are career diplomats and about half
I, but it was time to go home.” A New Home & New Skill Sets
Nassif took a position as chairman of Gulf Interstate Engineering, a Houston, Texas-based company working on developing oil and gas pipeline properties in North Africa and the Gulf. His position
Nassif during his time as Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco
16 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2019
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