Kris Engskov
Encyclopedia
Kris Engskov was President Bill Clinton
's aide from 1997 to 2000. He was hired one month before the Lewinsky scandal
broke and was called to testify before a grand jury on that matter twice despite having taken on his job after most of the events in question already had occurred.
An Arkansas native, Engskov had a childhood encounter with Clinton during a campaign visit to Berryville, Arkansas
in the 1970s. Engskov started his career at the White House
working for the travel office in 1993 shortly after the White House travel office controversy
erupted; his work in keeping travel for White House correspondents flowing smoothly during the transition was praised by a Washington Times reporter, who wrote that Engskov "stood out, clearing travel plan hurdles with his dry humor and confidence," as when he stepped in to convince the Air Force not to block takeoff of a charter flight whose pilot had no money to pay for fuel at Andrews Air Force Base
. He then worked as an assistant press secretary
for about two years, during which Clinton once made an April Fools' Day
announcement of Engskov to replace an injured Mike McCurry:
in December 1997.
In June 2000 he left the White House to work as an analyst at the Madrona Venture Group in Seattle, Washington
. In 2003 Engskov joined Starbucks
as a director of Public Policy. As of 2009, he also was serving as a member of the King County
Task Force on Regional Human Services.
The character Charlie Young
from The West Wing
, played by actor Dulé Hill
, is based in part on Engskov. Former Clinton press secretary
Dee Dee Myers
, who served as a consultant to the show, arranged for Hill to meet his real-life counterpart in 1999 when the show was just beginning, though Engskov later joked that unlike Charlie, he would never have dated the president's daughter out of a concern for "job security."
Author Christopher Farnsworth
met with Engskov to discuss White House operations while preparing to write the 2010 vampire novel Blood Oath
, and thanked Engskov in the acknowledgements to the book.
On July 20, 2011 it was announced that Engskov would become the new managing director of Starbucks UK and Ireland starting in September 2011. Of the move, John Culver, president of Starbucks Coffee International, said: "Kris brings a great deal of operational and public affairs experience to the role, and is an ideal candidate to continue the momentum Starbucks has achieved in this region. The addition of Kris to the team is a further sign of our commitment to international markets as a key growth engine for the company."
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
's aide from 1997 to 2000. He was hired one month before the Lewinsky scandal
Lewinsky scandal
The Lewinsky scandal was a political sex scandal emerging in 1998 from a sexual relationship between United States President Bill Clinton and a 25-year-old White House intern, Monica Lewinsky. The news of this extra-marital affair and the resulting investigation eventually led to the impeachment of...
broke and was called to testify before a grand jury on that matter twice despite having taken on his job after most of the events in question already had occurred.
An Arkansas native, Engskov had a childhood encounter with Clinton during a campaign visit to Berryville, Arkansas
Berryville, Arkansas
Berryville is a city in Carroll County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 4,433 at the 2000 census. Along with Eureka Springs, it is one of the two county seats of Carroll County...
in the 1970s. Engskov started his career at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
working for the travel office in 1993 shortly after the White House travel office controversy
White House travel office controversy
The White House travel office controversy, sometimes referred to as Travelgate, was the first major ethics controversy of the Clinton administration. It began in May 1993, when seven employees of the White House Travel Office were fired...
erupted; his work in keeping travel for White House correspondents flowing smoothly during the transition was praised by a Washington Times reporter, who wrote that Engskov "stood out, clearing travel plan hurdles with his dry humor and confidence," as when he stepped in to convince the Air Force not to block takeoff of a charter flight whose pilot had no money to pay for fuel at Andrews Air Force Base
Andrews Air Force Base
Joint Base Andrews is a United States military facility located in Prince George's County, Maryland. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force 11th Wing, Air Force District of Washington ....
. He then worked as an assistant press secretary
White House Press Secretary
The White House Press Secretary is a senior White House official whose primary responsibility is to act as spokesperson for the government administration....
for about two years, during which Clinton once made an April Fools' Day
April Fools' Day
April Fools' Day is celebrated in different countries around the world on April 1 every year. Sometimes referred to as All Fools' Day, April 1 is not a national holiday, but is widely recognized and celebrated as a day when many people play all kinds of jokes and foolishness...
announcement of Engskov to replace an injured Mike McCurry:
Still hobbled from his knee surgery, Clinton deadpanned that McCurry had "made a fool of himself" by falling down and hurting his knee. "So until we can bring him back to full health, Chris [sic] Engskov is going to do the daily briefing today, and he will be my press secretary during Mike's absence," Clinton said. Engskov, 25, is an Arkansas native who works in the press office. "I thought we ought to have a presidential secretary who doesn't have an accent," Clinton quipped.Engskov became the president's body man
Body man
A body man is, in U.S. political jargon, a personal assistant to a politician or political candidate. A body man accompanies the politician or candidate virtually everywhere, often arranging lodging, transportation or meals, and providing companionship, snacks, a cell phone, and any other...
in December 1997.
In June 2000 he left the White House to work as an analyst at the Madrona Venture Group in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. In 2003 Engskov joined Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
as a director of Public Policy. As of 2009, he also was serving as a member of the King County
King County, Washington
King County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population in the 2010 census was 1,931,249. King is the most populous county in Washington, and the 14th most populous in the United States....
Task Force on Regional Human Services.
The character Charlie Young
Charlie Young
Charles 'Charlie' Young is a fictional character played by Dulé Hill on the television serial drama The West Wing. For the majority of the series, he is the Personal Aide to President Josiah Bartlet.-Creation and development:...
from The West Wing
The West Wing (TV series)
The West Wing is an American television serial drama created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999 to May 14, 2006...
, played by actor Dulé Hill
Dulé Hill
Karim Dulé Hill is an American actor and tap dancer. He is best known for his roles as personal presidential aide Charlie Young on the NBC drama television series The West Wing, and as pharmaceutical salesman-private detective Burton "Gus" Guster on the USA Network television comedy-drama Psych...
, is based in part on Engskov. Former Clinton press secretary
Press secretary
A press secretary or press officer is a senior advisor who provides advice on how to deal with the news media and, using news management techniques, helps their employer to maintain a positive public image and avoid negative media coverage....
Dee Dee Myers
Dee Dee Myers
Dee Dee Myers served as White House Press Secretary for the first two years of the Clinton administration, from January 20, 1993 to December 22, 1994.-Early life and education:...
, who served as a consultant to the show, arranged for Hill to meet his real-life counterpart in 1999 when the show was just beginning, though Engskov later joked that unlike Charlie, he would never have dated the president's daughter out of a concern for "job security."
Author Christopher Farnsworth
Christopher Farnsworth
Christopher Farnsworth is an American novelist and screenwriter. He is the author of the President's Vampire series of novels from G.P. Putnam's Sons and a former journalist.-References:...
met with Engskov to discuss White House operations while preparing to write the 2010 vampire novel Blood Oath
Blood Oath (The Novel)
Blood Oath is a novel published in 2010 by Christopher Farnsworth. It centers on three main characters: Nathaniel Cade, a vampire more than 160 years old, currently bound by a blood oath to serve and protect the President of the United States; former Federal Bureau of Investigation agent Agent...
, and thanked Engskov in the acknowledgements to the book.
On July 20, 2011 it was announced that Engskov would become the new managing director of Starbucks UK and Ireland starting in September 2011. Of the move, John Culver, president of Starbucks Coffee International, said: "Kris brings a great deal of operational and public affairs experience to the role, and is an ideal candidate to continue the momentum Starbucks has achieved in this region. The addition of Kris to the team is a further sign of our commitment to international markets as a key growth engine for the company."