El Pomar CEO's new goal: improving world's view of U.S.

Pueblo native sworn in as head of federal diplomacy commission

By: Pam Zubeck
April 1, 2008

Bill Hybl, chairman and chief executive of the El Pomar Foundation in Colorado Springs and past U.S. Olympic Committee president, will head a federal agency that oversees the State Department's diplomacy policies and programs.

Hybl said that as chairman of the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy he wants to improve the world's view of the United States through music, sports and cultural affairs.

"Public diplomacy is encouraging trust, understanding and goodwill on a personal basis whether it's exchanges, cultural programs or public information officers," he said.

"The challenges are pretty significant," Hybl said. "We haven't in my view done enough to show what the American culture and ability -- in music, sports, dance -- really is. How do we magnify this, using coaches, jazz groups, country and western groups, and really show people in a definitive way what America does?"

Hybl was sworn in today by Vice President Dick Cheney after he was confirmed by the Senate and appointed by President Bush.

From 1990 to 1997, Hybl was a member of the seven-member bipartisan panel that assesses public diplomacy policies and American missions abroad. Commission responsibilities include international exchanges, U.S. international information programs and publicly funded nongovernmental organizations.

Hybl will serve through October 2009.

A Pueblo native, Hybl graduated from Colorado College in 1964 and received his law degree from the University of Colorado Law School in 1967.

He was an assistant district attorney in the 4th Judicial District and served in the House of Representatives from 1972 to 1973.

Hybl was U.S. Olympic Committee president for four Olympic Games -- the 1992 winter and summer games, the 1998 winter games and the 2000 summer games -- and remains active in Olympic affairs, including as chairman and CEO of the U.S. Olympic Foundation.

He serves on the board of directors of the International Republican Institute and is chairman of the board for International Foundation for Election Systems, or IFES.

He also was the U.S. representative to the 56th General Assembly of the United Nations in 2001, appointed by President Bush.

Hybl said the chairmanship will require he spend two or three days a month in Washington and abroad.