President Donald Trump has tapped a former Georgia state representative to serve as the U.S. ambassador to Norway.
In a news release, the White House announced Friday that Trump will nominate Mark Burkhalter to the position. The 59-year-old Johns Creek Republican spent 18 years in the General Assembly, representing his North Fulton constituents from 1993 to 2011.
He briefly served as House speaker in 2010, spending 11 days in the position after Glenn Richardson resigned.
RELATED: Burkhalter issued about 30 appointments in 11 days as speaker
Burkhalter, who was speaker pro tem but didn’t seek the speaker post, held the job until the first day of the legislative session, when current Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, was elected to the role by his colleagues.
The real estate developer holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia with a double major in German and Slavic Languages and is “conversant in German,” the White House said in its release announcing Burkhalter’s nomination.
He currently works for the multinational law firm Dentons, serving as a senior adviser for the company's public policy and regulation practice. In that role, he deals primarily with public affairs and economic development initiatives in the United Kingdom.
In order to become ambassador, Burkhalter would first need to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
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