Good morning. I am very pleased to welcome all of you here this morning to announce our new American Public Diplomacy Envoy Ken Griffey, Jr. Ken joins Michelle Kwan, Fran Drescher, and Cal Ripken, Jr. as Americans who go out on behalf of the values of the United States – not the Government of the United States, but the values of the United States – to engage with people around the world from very special positions. And there’s nobody more special than Ken Griffey, Jr.

Ken was drafted number one by the Seattle Mariners, straight out of Cincinnati Moeller High School. He went on to become a prolific home run hitter, who is currently ranked number five on the Major League Baseball all-time home run list with 611 home runs, a list that includes some of the greatest names in baseball: Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays. He won ten consecutive Golden Glove Awards from 1990 to 2000 for his outstanding defense in centerfield. And in 2007, he was named by Rawlings to the All-Time Gold Glove ......