Thomas Pickering

Thomas R. Pickering
Born	Template:Birth year and age
Nationality	American
Occupation	Diplomat, consultant
Title	Vice Chairman, Hills & Company; former Senior Vice President, Boeing Company
Employer	Hills & Company (from 2006)
Known for	U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, career spanning over 40 years in U.S. diplomacy
Awards	Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship (named in his honor)

Thomas Reeve Pickering (born 1931) is an American career diplomat who served for more than four decades in the United States Foreign Service, holding ambassadorships to six countries and serving as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. His diplomatic career, which spanned the final decades of the Cold War and the early post–Cold War era, placed him at the center of some of the most consequential foreign policy episodes in modern American history. Following his retirement from government service, Pickering transitioned into the private sector and continued to contribute to public discourse on international affairs through consulting, advisory board service, and participation in policy organizations. He is one of the most decorated career diplomats in American history, and a prestigious fellowship program for aspiring U.S. diplomats bears his name.

Career

Diplomatic Service

Thomas R. Pickering served in the United States Foreign Service for more than 40 years, a career that took him to posts across the globe and placed him at the nexus of American foreign policy during a transformative period in international relations. Over the course of his career, Pickering held ambassadorial appointments to six countries as well as to the United Nations, an extraordinary breadth of service that few American diplomats have matched.

Pickering's appointment as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations represented one of the pinnacles of his diplomatic career. In this role, he was a key interlocutor between the United States and the international community during a period of significant geopolitical change. His tenure at the United Nations coincided with the presidency of George H.W. Bush, under whom American foreign policy navigated the end of the Cold War, the reunification of Germany, and the lead-up to the Gulf War. In a 2018 interview with NPR following the death of President Bush, Pickering reflected on his experience working with the 41st president, offering personal recollections of the diplomatic collaboration that defined the era.

Throughout his decades in the Foreign Service, Pickering developed a reputation as a pragmatic and knowledgeable diplomat. His assignments spanned multiple regions and covered a wide range of bilateral and multilateral issues, giving him an unusually comprehensive perspective on American foreign policy.

Post-Government Career

After retiring from government service, Pickering moved into the private sector. He served as senior vice president of the Boeing Company, one of the world's largest aerospace and defense corporations. He retired from Boeing in July 2006.

Following his departure from Boeing, Pickering joined Hills & Company, an international consulting firm, as vice chairman. Hills & Company, founded by former U.S. Trade Representative Carla Hills, specializes in advising corporations and governments on international trade and investment matters. Pickering's role at the firm drew on his extensive experience in international relations and diplomacy.

Advisory and Board Roles

In addition to his private sector activities, Pickering maintained an active presence in the foreign policy and national security community through participation in various advisory organizations and think tanks. He served on the board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, an organization founded in 1945 by scientists who had worked on the Manhattan Project and which is known for maintaining the Doomsday Clock. The Bulletin described Pickering as "an experienced US diplomat" who had served for more than 40 years, highlighting his role as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations among his key accomplishments.

Pickering also maintained a relationship with the Stimson Center, a nonpartisan policy research center based in Washington, D.C., that focuses on international peace and security issues. The Stimson Center's profile of Pickering noted his transition to the private sector and his continued engagement with foreign policy questions.

In May 2022, Pickering participated in a breakfast meeting organized by the Jerusalem Strategic Tribune in Washington, D.C. During the event, described as a "tour d'horizon," Pickering engaged in conversation with Dov Zakheim, leading a small group discussion through the current landscape of U.S. foreign policy issues. The wide-ranging discussion reflected Pickering's continued involvement in analyzing and commenting on American foreign policy well into his ninth decade.

Recognition

Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship

One of the most enduring forms of recognition for Pickering's contributions to American diplomacy is the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship, a program administered by the U.S. Department of State. The fellowship, which bears his name, is designed to attract outstanding students who are interested in pursuing careers in the U.S. Foreign Service. The program provides financial support for graduate education and prepares fellows for entry into the diplomatic corps.

The fellowship has been awarded to students from universities across the United States. In February 2025, Bowdoin College announced that Adriana Nazarko, a 2021 graduate of the college, had earned the Pickering Fellowship. The college described the fellowship as "highly prestigious" and noted that it is awarded to aspiring U.S. diplomats-in-training. Nazarko's selection was attributed in part to her strong multilingual skills and knowledge base, qualities that the fellowship program seeks to cultivate in future diplomats.

The naming of a fellowship program after Pickering reflects his standing within the American diplomatic establishment. The program serves as a mechanism for diversifying and strengthening the Foreign Service pipeline, and its association with Pickering's name underscores the regard in which his career of public service is held by the State Department and the broader foreign policy community.

Legacy

Thomas R. Pickering's career in American diplomacy spanned a period of extraordinary change in global affairs, from the late stages of the Cold War through the emergence of a new international order in the 1990s and the complex security challenges of the early 21st century. His service as ambassador to six countries and to the United Nations placed him at the forefront of American engagement with the world during these transformative decades.

In retirement, Pickering has continued to shape foreign policy discourse through his advisory roles, public commentary, and association with leading think tanks and policy organizations. His participation in events such as the Jerusalem Strategic Tribune's 2022 discussion on U.S. foreign policy demonstrates a sustained engagement with the issues that defined his professional life.

The Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship, by providing a pathway for a new generation of diplomats, ensures that Pickering's legacy extends beyond his own career into the future of American diplomacy. The fellowship's emphasis on attracting diverse and talented individuals to the Foreign Service aligns with the broader goal of maintaining a skilled and representative diplomatic corps.

Pickering's involvement with organizations such as the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and the Stimson Center reflects a continued commitment to addressing global security challenges, including nuclear risk reduction and international conflict prevention. These affiliations place him within a community of former senior officials and policy experts who continue to contribute to public understanding of complex international issues.