Accountability, honesty, and respect will be core principles at the US Department of State while Rex W. Tillerson is its secretary, he told employees as he arrived there on Feb. 2. He also expressed high regard for the people who work there already.
"The individuals who comprise this department are among the finest public servants in the world," the retired ExxonMobil Corp. Chief Executive said. "State Department staffers in the field are not just conduits for policies and plans; you are our emissaries of our nation and the ideals we stand for. When people see you, they see America."
The safety of every DOS employee, no matter where he or she is working, will be a high priority as well as a core principle, he said. This will include not just Foreign Service officers and their staffs, but also "third-country nationals; interns, fellows, support contractors, and implementing partners; and not least of all, the family members who support us at home and in our service to our country overseas," he said.
Tillerson also gave a shout-out to the department's Civil Service workforce and its indispensable role of providing mission-critical services. "Your dedication, your intelligence, and your sound judgment are the brick and mortar elements of all we do," he told them.
He said that as secretary, he will try to have DOS operate more efficiently. Changes will not be made for their own sake, "but we cannot sustain ineffective traditions over optimal outcomes." He said, "I will gather information on what processes should be reformed, and do my part to make sure we are functioning in the most productive and efficient way possible."
Near the end of his remarks, he mentioned that his wife, Renda, told him after he was nominated, "You didn't know it, but you've been in a 41-year training program for this job…. You're supposed to do this."
'I'm the new guy'
"Well, my first day is here. I'm on the job. Hi, I'm the new guy," Tillerson said, amid laughter and applause. "As such, I will depend on the expertise of this institution. There are more than 75,000 members of the State Department workforce, both Foreign and Civil Service employees, with an average of over 11 years of service in the department. I have 25 min."
He said, "You have accumulated knowledge and experience that cannot be replicated anywhere else. Your wisdom, your work ethic, and patriotism is as important as ever. And as your secretary, I will be proud to draw upon all these qualities in my decision-making."