Lino Gutierrez

Ambassador (ret.) Lino Gutiérrez is the President of Gutiérrez Global LLC, a consulting firm specializing on strategic advice for corporations and individuals interested in investing in Latin America and Europe. He is a professional lecturer at George Washington University and is on the Board of the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University. From 2010 to 2022 he served as the Executive Director of the Una Chapman Cox Foundation, which is dedicated to a strong and professional Foreign Service.

In his 29-year Foreign Service career, Mr. Gutiérrez served six U.S. Presidents and 11 Secretaries of State. His
last posting was as Ambassador to Argentina from 2003-2006. During his tenure, the United States and Argentina signed agreements on counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics cooperation, and container security. In 2005, Ambassador Gutiérrez welcomed President Bush to Argentina as he attended the Summit of the Americas.

Gutiérrez also served as Acting Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere affairs and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary from 1999-2002. He led the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs on September 11, 2001 and beyond. He accompanied Secretary of State Colin Powell to Lima, Peru for the signing of the Inter- American Democratic Charter, and returned with the Secretary’s party to the United States on September 11, 2001. From 2002-2003, Gutiérrez occupied the George Kennan chair as International Affairs Advisor at the National War College.

In 1996, President Clinton nominated Lino Gutiérrez to serve as Ambassador to Nicaragua. While in Nicaragua, Ambassador Gutiérrez coordinated the relief effort after Hurricane Mitch. Other overseas postings included tours in the Dominican Republic, Portugal, Haiti, France and the Bahamas.

Ambassador Gutiérrez served as Senior Advisor to Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutiérrez on Cuba transition and Latin America from 2007-09. In 2010, Gutiérrez Global LLC won a five-year State Department contract to direct and teach a course on the Southern Cone countries at the Foreign Service Institute. From 2008-2018, he was an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University. From 2016-2022 he served as a member of the Foreign Service Grievance Board.

Lino Gutiérrez has been the recipient of the State Department’s Distinguished Honor Award, Superior Honor Award (twice) and Meritorious Honor Award (three times). He has also earned the U.S. Army’s Civilian Award.

A native of Havana, Cuba, Gutiérrez has a master’s and bachelor’s from the University of Alabama, and also attended the University of Miami. After graduating from college, he taught social studies for the Dade County (Fla.) school system and the Urban League. He is married to the former Miriam Messina from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The couple has three daughters and six grandchildren.