Kampelman, Max M.
KAMPELMAN, MAX M.
KAMPELMAN, MAX M. (1920– ), U.S. lawyer and diplomat. Born in New York, Kampelman received his undergraduate and legal education at New York University, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in political science at the University of Minnesota. He taught political science at the University of Minnesota (1946–48) and at Bennington College (1948–50). He came under the influence of Senator Hubert H. Humphrey and served as his legislative counsel (1949–55). He then joined the law firm of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver and Kampelman, in Washington, d.c. He served as director and as chairman of the executive committee of the District of Columbia National Bank (1962–66). He was a creator and moderator of the popular television program Washington Week in Review (1967–70) and chairman of the Washington public broadcasting radio and television stations (1963–70).
Kampelman has had an active career as a major American diplomat, serving in several important and delicate negotiations. He has served as senior adviser to the U.S. delegation to the United Nations. From 1980 to 1983, by appointment of President Carter and then of President Reagan, he was ambassador and head of the U.S. delegation to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (under the Final Act signed in Helsinki in 1975). Then he was appointed by President Reagan as ambassador and head of the Delegation on Negotiations on Nuclear and Space Arms.
Kampelman has a long and distinguished record of public and philanthropic service. By appointment of the president of the United States, he was chairman of the board of trustees of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (1979–81), and continued as a member of the board of trustees. He was chairman of Freedom House (1983–85). He has served on the board of directors of Georgetown University, on the board of advisers of the Kennedy Institute of Ethics, on the board of trustees of the Law Center Foundation of New York University, on the board of trustees of the U.S. Council for International Business, as vice president of the Helen Dwight Reid Educational Foundation, vice chairman of the Coalition for a Democratic Majority, a member of the executive committee of the Committee on the Present Danger, and a member of the board of directors of the Atlantic Council of the United States. He was chairman of the Board of Governors of the United Nations Association (1989–93) and served as vice chairman of the United States Institute of Peace (1992–2001).
Kampelman has been actively identified with many Jewish and Israeli interests. He is honorary chairman of the Jerusalem Foundation and honorary governor of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He has served as honorary vicechairman of the B'nai B'rith Anti-Defamation League; as a member of the board of governors of Tel Aviv University and of the University of Haifa; as chairman of the National Advisory Committee of the American Jewish Committee; as a member of the board of directors of hias; as vice president of the Jewish Publication Society; on the board of trustees of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation and of the American Friends of the Israel Conservatory of Music; and on the board of trustees of the American Histadrut Cultural Exchange Institute.
In 1989 he received the Presidential Citizens Medal; in 1999 he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom; and in 2000, he was among those who received the first Library of Congress Living Legend award. Kampelman is the author of many articles and pamphlets on public affairs, American foreign policy, and Jewish subjects. He also wrote The Communist Party vs. thecio (1957) and Entering New Worlds: The Memoirs of a Private Man in Public Life (1991).
[Milton Ridvas Konvitz /
Ruth Beloff (2nd ed.)]