Arthur L. Schechter
Arthur L. Schechter served as the US Ambassador to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas from 1998-2001. He received a B.A. degree (1962) and LL.B. and J.D. degrees (1962-1964) from the University of Texas, Austin. He did post-graduate work at the University of Houston (1964-1965), and was admitted to the Texas bar in 1964. He has a distinguished legal background, and is licensed to practice in all Texas Courts; the US Supreme Court; the US Circuit Court for the Fifth, Eleventh, and Fourth Circuits; and the US District Courts for the Southern, Northern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas. He is currently a shareholder with the Houston office of Greenberg Traurig law firm.
He has a long history of committed, diverse and broad-based community service and charitable involvement. He has served on numerous Boards, including the William A. Lawson Institute for Peace and Prosperity; S.E.A.R.C.H. (Service to the Homeless); the Institute of International Education; the Southwest Region, Anti-Defamation League; the Mickey Leland Kibbutz Foundation; and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum Council to which he was appointed by President Clinton. He has served as President of the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, Chair of The United Jewish Campaign, President of Congregation Beth Israel and President of the American Jewish Committee.
He is the recipient of the National American Jewish Committee's Human Relations Award, the David H. White Leadership Award, the Jewish Chataqua Society's Benefactor Award, the "Love Award" from Children's Advocates of Harris County, the NAACP President's Award, the Star of Texas Award from 21st Century Democrats, the Outstanding Public Service Award from the US Coast Guard and Houston's Most Fascinating by Baylor College of Medicine. His civic involvement includes chairing the Texas Finance Committee to re-elect Clinton/Gore (1996), the Child Advocates of Houston and the American Leadership Forum Dinner. He is a former Chairman of the Harris County Metropolitan Transit Authority. He is a founding member of the Theater Under the Stars and the Youth Symphony Board. He is a member of the Board of the Houston Forum.
In 2004, he became Chairman of the National Jewish Democratic Council, a member of the Board of Directors of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and a member of the Board of Governors of The Houston Forum. Ambassador Schechter is listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the South, Who's Who in Society and Who's Who in the World.
