Valdas Adamkus

Valdas Adamkus

Valdas Adamkus (born November 3, 1926) is a Lithuanian statesman and retired United States Environmental Protection Agency official who served as the sixth president of Lithuania from 1998 to 2003 and again from 2004 to 2009. He was the first person to serve as president of Lithuania for two non-consecutive terms.

Early Life and Education

Valdas Adamkus was born in Kaunas, Lithuania, on November 3, 1926. His father, Antanas Adamkus, was a construction engineer, and his mother, Ona Adamkiene, was a schoolteacher. Adamkus graduated from the University of Kaunas in 1949 with a degree in civil engineering.

Career in the United States

In 1949, Adamkus fled Lithuania to escape Soviet occupation. He spent several years in refugee camps in Germany before emigrating to the United States in 1950. He settled in Chicago, Illinois, where he worked as a construction engineer and later as an environmental engineer for the City of Chicago.

In 1981, Adamkus was appointed regional administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for Region 5, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. He served in this position until 1987.

Return to Lithuania and Political Career

In 1998, Adamkus returned to Lithuania to run for president. He was elected in a landslide victory, becoming the first president of Lithuania since independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. Adamkus served one term as president before being defeated in the 2003 election.

In 2004, Adamkus was elected president for a second term. He won re-election in 2008, but was barred from seeking a third term by the Lithuanian constitution. Adamkus left office in 2009.

Personal Life

Valdas Adamkus is married to Alma Adamkiene. They have two children, a son, Gediminas, and a daughter, Kristina. Adamkus is fluent in Lithuanian, English, German, and Russian.

Legacy

Valdas Adamkus is widely respected in Lithuania for his leadership during a time of great change and uncertainty. He is credited with helping to guide Lithuania into NATO and the European Union and for promoting economic and social reforms. Adamkus is also known for his environmental activism and his commitment to human rights.