Florida Resident Sworn-In as USAID Mission Director in El Salvador

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, May 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Longtime Brevard County, FL resident Carl Derrick has been sworn-in as new Mission Director for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in El Salvador. With over 150 attendees, the ceremony at the Ambassador's residence included U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador Mari Carmen Aponte, Salvadoran Government officials, leading members of the Salvadoran business community, representatives of other international donors and multilateral organizations, family members of Mr. Derrick, and members of the USAID/El Salvador staff.

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Raised in Melbourne Village, Mr. Derrick has held leadership positions in USAID Washington, El Salvador, Egypt, Bolivia, and Ecuador since joining the agency in 1987. Mr. Derrick has a BA in Spanish/Multi-National Business from Florida State University, an MBA in Contract Management from Florida Institute of Technology, and an MS in National Resource Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. Prior to joining USAID, he had four years of experience in defense contracting, including Harris Corporation.

Mr. Derrick first came to El Salvador for the period of 1987-1992, at which time he provided support for the country's National Reconstruction Plan for recuperation after the end of its twelve-year civil war. Mr. Derrick described this era after the signing of the 1992 Peace Accords as a "new dawn" in Salvadoran history. During this time he met his wife, Carmen Infante. The couple now has three children.

Mr. Derrick later returned to El Salvador to serve as Deputy Mission Director from August 2008-July 2010 before being promoted to Acting Mission Director and now Mission Director. In this capacity, he is the principal senior development advisor to the U.S. Ambassador and oversees overall program direction for all USAID program areas. USAID/El Salvador manages a bilateral assistance program (United States-El Salvador, approximately $135 million for 2010-2012) in the strategic areas of Democracy and Governance, Economic Growth, and Health and Education. In addition, USAID/El Salvador manages the Central America Regional Program (approximately $76 million for 2010-2012), which includes programs in the areas of Economic Growth and Democracy and Governance.

Mr. Derrick also represents USAID and the U.S. Mission in policy dialogue in bilateral, multi-lateral and regional settings at the Representative, Minister and Presidential level. Alongside El Salvador's Vice-Minister of Environment, he is the U.S. Government Representative on the Board of Directors of the Fund for the Initiative for the Americas. As Mission Director, he is responsible for the local implementation of emerging Presidential Initiatives, including Partnership for Growth, Feed the Future, Global Climate Change and the Central America Regional Security Initiative.

"We have helped improve the quality of life of millions of people, but there is still much to be done," Derrick said during his swearing-in ceremony. "For me it is an honor to be here and continue improving the quality of our alliance with the goal of creating a more prosperous future in the long term.

SOURCE U.S. Agency for International Development