Tony Schwarzwalder

Anthony M. Schwarzwalder, former Mission Director and long-time leader in international development, died February 2, after a courageous battle with Alzheimer’s disease.  Tony grew up in Arlington and graduated from Washington-Lee High School.  He attended Wesleyan College for his Bachelor of Arts and John Hopkins for his Masters in Public Health.  He had a distinguished career in international relief and development, including twenty-three years with the United States Agency for Development (USAID). He began his career with USAID as a Program Officer in the Africa Bureau from 1961-66.  His first overseas assignment was as a Capital Development Officer in Jordan from 1966-68.  After a graduate fellowship at Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School, he served as Special Assistant to the Deputy US Coordinator for the Alliance for Progress, providing economic assistance to Latin America. In 1970, following a devastating cyclone in East Pakistan, Tony took over as Coordinator of the USAID Relief and Rehabilitation Office, working both in Islamabad and Dacca.  In 1972, he became the first Mission Director to Bangladesh, following the Bengali war for independence. Later that year he was awarded the Arthur S. Flemming Award for Government Service and Leadership. Returning to Washington DC in 1974, Tony became Director of the Office of Near East and Northern Africa Affairs and later the first Deputy Assistant Administrator in USAID’s newly created Food for Peace and Voluntary Assistance Bureau.  His last overseas post with USAID was as Mission Director in the Philippines from 1980-84. After leaving USAID, Tony worked for a number of Washington DC-based organizations focused on HIV/AIDS, including a number of years as Deputy Director of the AIDS Control and Prevention (AIDSCAP) program. Tony was at the forefront of USAID strategy development and is fondly remembered by colleagues as a visionary, leader and friend who recognized and mentored many of those who went on to lead the Agency’s work. Services will be held Thursday, February 9, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, 4444 Arlington Blvd., at 2:00 PM.  In lieu of flowers, the family suggests gifts to the Alzheimer’s Family Day Center, 2812 Old Lee Highway, Suite 210, Fairfax, Virginia 222031.  Memories, notes and photos are welcome and may be sent to Cecilia Javier, 301 N. Garfield St., Arlington, Virginia 22201 or blackforest@verizon.net.

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