Ambassador Glen Holden graduated from the University of Oregon with a bachelor of science degree in 1951. His career began in insurance when he met a local insurance agent while working at a campus clothing store. The agent sparked Ambassador Holden’s interest in the insurance industry and he began taking classes in insurance and finance.
He has had a very successful career in the insurance industry which included forming Glen Holden and Associates and serving as president and director of the Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company. Ambassador Holden also served as the United States ambassador to Jamaica from April 1989 until March 1993 at the request of President George Bush (41). He became deeply dedicated to the nation and its people and ultimately served as the chair of the charitable organization American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) for fourteen years. Ambassador Holden served as president of the Federation of International Polo, which is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the federation governing the sport of polo worldwide. Ambassador Holden is widely regarded as an international ambassador for the sport of polo.
As a polo player, he won the Pacific Coast Open, the U.S. Open Polo Championship in 1993 (with Ruben Gracida, Mike Azzaro, Guillermo Gracida Jr., and Joe Wayne Barry) and the Governors Cup.[1][5] He has played with Charles III.[6]
He was a founding member of the Federation of International Polo and served as its president until 1997.[1] He also served as a governor of the United States Polo Association (USPA) for ten years.[1] He was co-founder of “Polo on the Mall” in Washington, D.C.[1] He was also involved with the Santa Barbara Polo Club in Santa Barbara, California and the Houston Polo Club in Houston, Texas.[1] He sat on the Board of the Polo Training Foundation.[7] He was inducted into the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame on February 16, 2002.[1] He set up the Holden International Fund to develop the polo skills of young players from around the world.[1]
