Bonnie McElveen-Hunter
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The Honorable Bonnie McElveen-Hunter |
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Bonnie McElveen-Hunter and her mother, Madeline Bonneau McElveen
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| Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion of Finland | |
| 29th United States Ambassador to Finland | |
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In office November 5, 2001 – December 15, 2003 |
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| Appointed by | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Eric S. Edelman |
| Succeeded by | Earle I. Mack |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Mary Bonnaeu McElveen June 29, 1950 Columbia, South Carolina |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Bynum Merritt Hunter |
| Children | Bynum Merritt Hunter II |
| Education | Bellevue High School |
| Alma mater | Stephens College |
| Occupation | businesswoman, diplomat, philanthropist |
| Known for |
U.S. Ambassador to Finland Chair of the American Red Cross Founder & CEO of Pace Communications 18th Miss Nebraska USA |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
| Awards |
Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion of Finland Ellis Island Medal of Honor North Carolina Award |
Mary Bonneau "Bonnie" McElveen-Hunter (June 29, 1950) is an American businesswoman, philanthropist, and diplomat who is the first female Chair of the Board of Governors of the American Red Cross. She is the founder and CEO of Pace Communications, a publishing company, and was the U.S. Ambassador to Finland from 2001 to 2003. She also served as the finance chairwoman of Elizabeth Dole's campaign for the Republican nomination for U.S. President.
Her father was a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force and a P-51 pilot during World War II. Her mother was a school teacher. Her father joined the Air National Guard and was activated during the Korean War. He was one of the original seven U2 pilots who flew over the Soviet Union during the Cold War. When she was 18 months old, her family moved to Germany. They continued to move throughout her childhood to Washington, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, California, and Nebraska. She is the older sister of John Thomas McElveen, Jr. and Tweed McElveen-Bogache.
She attended Bellevue High School in Nebraska, where she graduated in 1968. In 1970 she won the title of Miss Nebraska USA and went on to compete in the Miss USA pageant. She attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri where she started to study fashion design but later switched to business law and marketing. After graduating she moved to Charlotte, North Carolina and worked for Bank of America. She then worked for Community Publishing, selling subscriptions to Charlotte Magazine. In 1972 she moved to Greensboro, North Carolina to work for Republican congressman Walter E. Johnston, III and started Pace Magazine.
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