Chiefs of Protocol

All Chiefs of the Division of Protocol/Conferences/International Conferences were designated, not commissioned. Since 1946, the President has commissioned the head of the Department of State’s protocol staff as the “Chief of Protocol for the White House.” In 1916, the Department of State appointed the first U.S. official to be concerned on a full-time basis with protocol, which is the diplomatic procedure governed by law or international custom and practice. The Department first established a Division of Protocol on Feb 4, 1928. All incumbents since 1961 have held the rank of Ambassador. The Protocol Office has been part of the Office of the Secretary of State since July 12, 1965. The Chief of Protocol serves as the protocol officer for the U.S. Government and advises the President, the Vice President, the Secretary of State, and other high-ranking officials on this subject.