Government of the Federated States of Micronesia

Ilon Nominated as Secretary of External Affairs

PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Information Service): July 16, 1997 –
FSM President Jacob Nena nominated Epel K. Ilon for the position of
the Secretary of the Department of External Affairs and urged
Congress to give its consent to his nomination. The nomination was
transmitted to Congress Speaker Jack Fritz, July 9, 1997, with a
letter from the President in which he states that Ilon “fits the
expectations for leadership in the Department of External Affairs,”
thus he is being nominated.

His work experience included Deputy Secretary of the Department of
External Affairs until his recent resignation as required by law; he
was Chief , Division of U.S. Relations which was later organized to
include all of Americas and Europe. He was FSM’s Representative in
Washington, D.C., for five years. Prior to that he served until late
1986, as Assistant Liaison Officer in the FSM Liaison Office in
Washington, D.C. He moved to Pohnpei at the inception of the FSM
Government.

Ilon is currently the Chairman of the Economic Management Policy
Advisory Team (EMPAT); at the same time he serves as Vice Chairman of
the Presidential Task Force on Government Restructuring and Reform;
and he co-chairs the U.S. Pacific Island Nations Joint Commercial
Commission on Trade and Investment Working Group. He was a delegate
representing the Mortlocks in the Chuuk State Constitutional
Convention. During the Trust Territory period, Mr. Ilon served on
the Trust Territory Vocational Advisory Council among other boards
and commissions.

Ilon was born in Mortlocks, Chuuk State in 1952, and attended
primary and secondary schools until his senior year, when he
transferred to the Saratoga Springs High School in New York under the
American Field Service Scholarship, and graduated in 1970. He has
his B.A. degree in Education from Chaminade College in Hawaii, and a
M.S. degree in Counseling and Personnel Services from the State
University of New York in Albany.

After graduation, Ilon taught for a year at Xavier High school in
Chuuk and was an instructor for the College of Micronesia Extension
Program in Chuuk.

Mr. Ilon has traveled on official business of the Federated States
of Micronesia throughout the world, in various capacities including
heading delegations to bilateral and multilateral meetings.
Additionally, he has traveled to all four states of the FSM and to
the Micronesian neighboring countries and territories. Through these
contacts, he has established good working relationship with leaders
and officials of various governments and institutions.

His long experience in government, particularly in foreign
affairs, at various levels and capacities equips him well with the
managerial, supervisory and policy-making, and formulating hands-on
experiences. (With) His excellent communications skills, he is able
to articulate matters clearly and work with other people in a
positive and constructive manner. He is a man of principle,
integrity and reliability.

Ilon is married to the former Benina Amond, and they have two
daughters.

The Department, and indeed the nation, Nena added, will be well
served by a person of Mr. Ilon’s caliber. My office stands ready to
provide additional information as you or your colleagues may wish,
Nena concluded.