Introducing the Newly Instated 2021 UCC Executive Committee

SALT LAKE CITY --- Every two years, a new leadership team of the Utah Consular Corps (UCC) is elected. On February 8th of this year, the new Executive Committee was installed, and James Burton, 2019-2020 Vice President and Honorary Consul of Germany became the new UCC President, replacing David Utrilla, Honorary Consul to Peru. Former UCC Secretary and Treasurer Baldomero Lago, Honorary Consul of Spain, became the new Vice President. Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic, Jonathon Tichy, is the UCC’s new Secretary and Treasurer. 

UCC President James T. Burton was accredited by the United States Department of State as the German Honorary Consul on January 29, 2015, after being appointed by Joachim Gauck, President of the Federal Republic of Germany. He holds a B.A. from Utah State University, a J.D. from Florida State University College of Law, and an LL.M. from The George Washington University Law School. James was awarded Utah Legal Elite status for intellectual property litigation and, in 2017, was named one of Utah Business’ forty under 40. James serves on the Board of Directors at the Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy, the director of Salt Lake City’s Chapter of the American Council on Germany, and is an executive committee member of Christkindlmarkt SLC. Outside of his career and community involvement, he enjoys spending time with his wife Ashley and their five boys

UCC vice-president Baldomero Lago was accredited by the State Department as an Honorary Consul of Spain on March 22, 2001. In 1987, Dr. Lago arrived in the United States from Santander, Spain, to continue his education. After receiving undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in the United States he returned to Spain to complete a doctorate degree in instructional technology. He then pursued a professional career as a professor of language pedagogy and presented his teaching philosophy and research across the globe
 Dr. Lago currently works as the Chief International Officer for Utah Valley University where he organizes and manages UVU’s global and intercultural academic initiatives. In this position, he works with numerous organizations, chambers of commerce, and global institutions as well as the Governor's Office of Economic Development of the State of Utah and the United Nations. In addition, he has served as President of the World Trade Association of Utah and currently serves as a Chairman for the Board of Directors for Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy and University of Utah Graduate MIAGE program.

Jonathon Tichy was accredited as Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic by the State Department on March 30, 2009. Later, on May 10, 2010, he was formally installed in a ceremony at the Utah State Capitol. While in college, Mr. Tichy obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in public policy with an emphasis in international trade and foreign policy. He also holds a law degree from BYU. Mr. Tichy currently serves as the president of Envoy Legal & Consulting International, a firm that focuses on international legal and governmental relations strategies, where he advises international businesses, non-profit organizations, churches, and government agencies. He also serves as an outside international legal and governmental relations advisor to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 
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In the late 1990s, Mr. Tichy worked at the U.S. Embassy in Prague after receiving a special diplomatic appointment by President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. He was awarded the State Department’s prestigious Meritorious Honor Medal for his work there. Mr. Tichy also served as the Chief of Staff to an Assistant Secretary of State and Ambassador and was a Fascell Fellow at the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs in Washington, DC. He served several years as Executive Vice-president of the board of the Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy and is currently on the boards of the Salt Lake Film Society, the Wallace Toronto Foundation, and the Czech & Slovak School of Utah.