A new U.S. ambassador to Costa Rica took office this year to replace former ambassador John J. Danilovich, who stepped down from his post in May 2004 to serve as U.S. ambassador to Brazil.
U.S. President George W. Bush nominated Mark Langdale, whose background is in hotel management, law, telecommunications and real estate, to the post in June. Langdale took office Nov. 8.
The new ambassador presided over Posadas USA Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of the Mexico City-based Grupo Posadas the largest hotel-management company in Latin America.