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Bonnie McElveen-Hunter

The Honorable
Bonnie McElveen-Hunter
Bonnie McEleevn-Hunter.jpg
Bonnie McElveen-Hunter and her mother, Madeline Bonneau McElveen
Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion of Finland
29th United States Ambassador to Finland
In office
November 5, 2001 – December 15, 2003
Appointed by George W. Bush
Preceded by Eric S. Edelman
Succeeded by Earle I. Mack
Personal details
Born Mary Bonnaeu McElveen
(1950-06-29) June 29, 1950 (age 66)
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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