Article January 7, 2008 Issue

CONVERSATION WITH AN AMBASSADOR

Leide Lessa, Warren Bolon with contributions from ALFRED HOFFMAN

ALFRED HOFFMAN graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. He went on to found the successful real state company WCI Communities, Inc. From 2005 to December 2007, Mr. Hoffman served as the US Ambassador to Portugal. A Christian Scientist since childhood, Hoffman talked about the spiritual underpinnings of his business career and public service with Leide Lessa, Managing Editor of The Herald of Christian Science, and Sentinel Senior Writer Warren Bolon.

What aspects of your work in Portugal have been the most gratifying?

The best part of the job is to represent the United States, especially in Portugal, since it was the first neutral country to recognize the United States in 1791. That's why relations between the countries were strengthened — in 1975, with the fall of the Portuguese dictatorship, the United States supported the growing democracy. Currently, both countries are part of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and are working side by side to promote democracy and freedom in other parts of the world.

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