Jack Niedenthal
Title: Trust Liaison for the People of Bikini (hired by the Bikinians)
Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
Dual citizen of the U.S. & the Marshall Islands
Educated: University of Arizona (1978-80)
B.S. degree in Business Economics, cum laude with Academic Distinction, elected to the Beta Gamma Sigma National Honor Society for Business Majors
Clarion University of Pennsylvania (1975-77)
Vice President of Student Senate, All American swimmer
PADI Divemaster, IANTD wreck diver
Voluntary Public Service and other positions in the Marshall Islands and Micronesia:
Current positions held:
*Currently serves as the Chairman of the Board for the Marshall Islands Social Security Administration [MISSA] (Vice-Chairman from 2000-2003, Chairman from January 2003-present). Reappointed for a third three year term in January 2006.
MISSA NEWS:
Investments Rise in Value, Audit Shows "No Findings."
Marshall Islands Social Security Administration Quadrennial Report [2000-2004]in PDF.
*Elected and currently serves as a Board Member and Vice-President of the Majuro Cooperative School (October 2003-present, serving third 2 year term). Also, voluntarily serves as webmaster for the Majuro Cooperative School website.
*Elected and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Bank of the Marshall Islands. Sits as the Chairman of the Audit Committee for the bank. (April 2003-2004, reelected for 2004-2005, 2005-2006, 2006-2007, 2007-2008, and 2008-2009).
*Elected and currently serves as Chairman of the Board for the Marshall Islands Service Corporation. (July 2006--present)
*Selected by the Marshall Islands government to serve a 3 year term on the College of the Marshall Islands [CMI] as a Regent on the Board of Directors, (October 2004-2007, reappointed for a second term, January 2008-2011), Chair of the 2005 CMI Presidential Selection Committee, elected Secretary/Treasurer of the Board, Sept. 2005, relected January 2007 elected Finance Committee Chairman for the Board
*Selected by Marshall Islands President Litokwa Tomeing and the Cabinet to serve on a Commission of Inquiry into the 2007 General election, February of 2008. Read the Warrant.
*Serves as a Board member for the Prior Service Trust Fund Administration for Micronesia (January 2003--present)
Prior Service Trust Fund News
Prior Service Trust Fund of Micronesia receives $1.6 million from U.S.Government
Past positions held:
*Peace Corps Volunteer, 1981-84
*Elected and served as the Majuro Cooperative School PTA President for the 2002-2003 school year (October 2002)
*Elected and served as Treasurer of the Majuro Cooperative School (October 2003-Sept. 2007), still serves as Board Member and Vice President.
*Served as Vice President of the Marshall Islands Chamber of Commerce for 2005.
*Served as a Board member and Vice Chairman for the Prior Service Trust Fund Administration for Micronesia (January 2003--March 2004), Chairman for (March 2004--March 2005)
*Elected and served as the President of the Marshall Islands Chamber of Commerce (January 2006-January 2008 for a two year term), also currently voluntarily serves as the webmaster for the Marshall Islands Chamber of Commerce website.
*Selected by the Marshall Islands Chamber of Commerce to serve on the President's Economic Advisory Council, Aug. 2007-January 2008.
Having lived, studied and worked in the Marshall Islands from 1981 until the present, he speaks fluent Marshallese. His wife, Regina, is a Bikini islander. They have five children, two of them by adoption.
His first six years in the Marshalls were all spent in the isolated jungles of the outer islands. He was a Peace Corps volunteer on Namu Atoll (1981-84). He then contracted to work with the Bikini Council on Kili Island (1984-late 1986) teaching English to the adults, teaching in the elementary school and working with the Kili/Bikini/Ejit Local Government Council.
After the death of former Trust Liaison, Ralph Waltz, he was asked by the Council to begin work as the Trust Liaison for their local government (1987 to present).
Duties of the Trust Liaison for the People of Bikini include the management and coordination of the funds allocated by the United States government to compensate the Bikinians for their suffering and to facilitate the radiological cleanup of Bikini Atoll. He acts as a liaison for the Council to the media, the U.S. government and its various agencies, the scientists who work on Bikini, the Bikini Council's attorney, trustees, money managers, construction companies, engineers, project managers, auditors and business associates. The Trust Liaison also coordinates travel schedules, is used as an advisor and translator, manages the Bikinians' scholarship program, and is responsible for the Bikini Council's accounting.
He also manages the Bikini Atoll tourism operation for the Bikinians [read a letter to customers].
The government of the Marshall Islands awarded him an honorary Marshallese citizenship in December of 2000.
Along with his book about the people of Bikini, he has published a number of articles, academic papers and photos about the Bikinians in The Guardian (United Kingdom), World View magazine, The Health Physics Journal, the San Francisco Chronicle and others. He also published a chapter about Bikini Atoll in the book, Everything You Know is Wrong, compiled by Russ Kick.
Film Credits
Radio Bikini produced by Robert Stone [nominated for an Academy Award in 1988]. Toured with Bikinian elder Kilon Bauno publicizing the film. [right: At the Academy Awards in 1988. No, I don't know who she is, nor do I remember her. As I recall, she reflects the way everyone looked to me on that evening].
Nuclear Exiles produced by the National Geographic Explorer series[nominated for an Emmy Award in 1988]. Credited for all translation work, responsible for taking the film crews to Bikini, Ejit and Kili Islands.
Bikini: Forbidden Paradise produced by Bill Livingston for ABC's World of Discovery [nominated for an Emmy Award in 1994]. Credited for all translation work, responsible for taking the film crews to Bikini, Ejit and Kili Islands, also, some of writing for this film was taken from an unpublished book by Jack Niedenthal.
The Bikini Atoll produced by the A & E Channel in 1996. Credited for all translation work, responsible for taking the film crews to Bikini, Ejit and Kili Islands.
Live from a Shark Cage with Al Giddings by the Discovery Channel in 1999. Credited for all translation work, responsible for taking the film crew to Ejit Island, assisted in the underwater production of the live broadcast.Also assisted in news reports filed by CNN, Newsweek, the McNeil/Lehrer News Hour, ABC News, the NY Times, the LA Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the BBC radio and television network, Radio Australia, Radio New Zealand, and many others.
Contact Jack Niedenthal: bikinijack@gmail.com
Newsweek December 1, 1997 interview with Jack Niedenthal.
ABC News interview with Jack Niedenthal.The August 6, 2002 "Nuclear Special" section of The Guardian (the United Kingdom) included articles by several Pulitzer Prize winning authors and a centerfold historical piece with photos about nuclear weapons testing on Bikini Atoll by Jack Niedenthal
The Cultural Journey
Interviews by Jack Niedenthal with the people of Bikini with regard to their proud heritage, customs & history.Bikini Liaison Tales Epic stories of life at home and on the road with the People of Bikini.
Click on above image to read: Naked in Front of Unnaked People
Lost in Las Vegas
Death at Sea
THE MARSHALL ISLANDS NEEDS A CLEANUP SUPERFUND
A published essay from 2002 by Jack Niedenthal
FOR THE GOOD OF MANKIND: A History of the People of Bikini and their Islands
by Jack Niedenthal
226 pages w/photos, paperback, ISBN 982-9050-02-5] With a Foreword by Dr. Leonard Mason.*Details about the tragic history of the people and their islands
* Interviews with elder Bikinians and their leaders about their struggles from ancient to modern times and personal stories about the author's relationship with the islanders
*Details about the Bikinians' local government and trust funds
*Information on the radiological concerns and cleanup on Bikini Atoll
*Demographics about the people and the geography of their islands
*Brief histories about the ships now at rest in Bikini's lagoon and also info as to the whereabouts of the other ships that were used for nuclear testing on Bikini
*Tourism details and dive profiles
*Sources for researchers of Bikini Atoll's history
*Fully indexed
This book can be autographed at no extra charge. Profits from the proceeds of this book are given to the people of Bikini.Order from
or from this direct ordering link at Amazon.com.
