FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, August 19, 1997

Patrick Fn'Piere Named Peace Corps Director for Inter-America and Pacific Region

Washington, D.C., Aug. 19, 1997—Peace Corps Director Mark Gearan has appointed Patrick J. Fn\'Piere to be the agency\'s director for the Inter-America and Pacific region. "Patrick\'s professional accomplishments following his volunteer service exemplify the finest traditions of talented Americans first drawn to public service through the Peace Corps," Gearan said. "He brings a wealth of experience to this challenging job and will provide excellent leadership for our staff and the Peace Corps volunteers serving in the region." Fn\'Piere, a former Peace Corps volunteer in Africa and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) senior adviser for governance, will oversee the activities of more than 2,000 Peace Corps volunteers in 33 countries throughout Central and South America and the Pacific. He will take over a new position that reflects a restructuring of regions at Peace Corps\' Washington, D.C. headquarters, and a streamlining of some management functions. Fn\'Piere, who begins work at the Peace Corps on August 25, is excited by the challenge: "Peace Corps is one of the finest institutions of the U.S. government. I am honored to be working with some of America\'s most promising and motivated people, especially in a region that is emerging as a critical partner to our country," he said. A native of Philadelphia who now lives in Washington, Fn\'Piere, 43, has been at USAID since 1993, where he was instrumental in formulating policy and implementing programs in Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. Previous to joining USAID, he served as vice president for public affairs at the National Institute for Dispute Resolution from 1989 to 1993. For ten years prior to that, Fn\'Piere was involved in a number of national campaigns for both issues and candidates, including the motor-voter bill, Hands Across America, and the Clinton/Gore campaign. Fn\'Piere began his career in public service as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Central African Republic from 1978-1979. He earned his bachelor\'s degree in philosophy and political science from LaSalle University in Philadelphia in 1972, and did graduate work at both Villanova University and with the Coro Foundation in St. Louis, Mo.

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