Mary Tarnowka, a former Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs at the American Embassy in Seoul, has been announced as the new Consul General of the U.S. in HCMC.

U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius speaks at the celebration in HCMC on June 30 of the 240th anniversary of the Independence of the U.S.

Ted Osius, the U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, mentioned Tarnowka’s new posting while speaking at a ceremony held in HCMC on June 30 to celebrate the 240th anniversary of the Independence of the U.S.

Tarnowka will replace Rena Bitter, who has been nominated by U.S. President Barack Obama to be the next U.S. ambassador to Laos.

Prior to her work in Seoul, Tarnowka served as Deputy Economic Minister Counselor in New Delhi. She was Senior Congressional Advisor and Deputy Director of the Office of Policy and Global Issues in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, Chief of the Political and Economic Section in Shanghai, Director for the U.S.-Chile free trade agreement (FTA) at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative during the final negotiations of the FTA, Trade Policy Officer at the China Desk at the time of China’s World Trade Organization (WTO) accession and Economic Officer in Taipei.

At the ceremony, which was also attended by local authorities, corporate and media representatives, Osius thanked Bitter for her contribution to enhancing U.S.-Vietnam relations and supporting American and Vietnamese businesses.

She helped with a major deal between Boeing and Vietjet, the launch of Fulbright University Vietnam and Vietnam’s preparations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement.