Trump nominates Sanford Burnham trustee as Bahamas Ambassador – Orlando Sentinel

President Donald Trump announced on Monday nomination of San Diego business mogul and Sanford Burnham trustee Papa Doug Manchester as Ambassador to the Bahamas.

The position has been vacant since 2011, according to Bahamas daily newspaper Tribune242.

If confirmed, Papa Doug Manchester of California will serve as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, according to a White House memo.

Manchester was on Sanford Burnhams Board of Trustees in 2011 and after an absence, he rejoined the board in 2015, according to tax documents.

The future of the institutes Orlando campus is still unclear, but the remaining faculty continue to conduct their research and Sanford Burnham officials have said that they will continue to run the facility until they find a viable option.

Coverage of Sanford Burnham's departure from Medical City

Manchester is currently Chairman of Manchester Financial Group and leads his own charity organization, Manchester Charitable Foundation.

A well-known developer and philanthropist, Manchester is considered father of the San Diego Convention Center after his generous contribution of the property for its development, according to his website.

He acquired The San Diego Union-Tribune in 2011, which he then sold to Tribune Publishing Company now tronc, and parent company of the Orlando Sentinel -- in 2015. He has also bough several weeklies in San Diego.

In 2008, Manchester, owner of Manchester Grand Hyatt and The Grand del Mar, supported Prop. 8 in California, an initiative that would ban same-sex marriage. In response, gay and lesbian groups boycotted the properties, according to news reports.

An early Trump supporter, Manchester celebrated his election in a blog post in March, writing, for the first time, a true capitalist is in the White House, an incredibly smart man with a big heart and an amazing family. His entire focus is on doing what is right for America, not what is politically correct.

Ambassadors are confirmed by the U.S. Senate, although they could be rejected by the recipient country, which rarely happens.

President Barack Obama had nominated Cassandra Butts to the position in 2014, but she died suddenly last year and was never confirmed.

nmiller@orlandosentinel.com, 407-420-5158, @naseemmiller

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Trump nominates Sanford Burnham trustee as Bahamas Ambassador - Orlando Sentinel