Mr. Hormel served as ambassador to Luxembourg from 1999 to 2001. In a 2016 interview with the Bay Area Reporter, he recalled the long and tortuous route to the diplomatic posting.
It all began at a 1992 dinner with then-President Bill Clinton's campaign treasurer, Bob Farmer. Over dinner, Farmer suggested to Mr.
Hormel that he seek a presidential appointment as an ambassador. "I was quite surprised when he brought up the idea," said Mr.
Hormel, noting that over 60% of such positions are held by career employees who have come up through the ranks in the Foreign Service.