By Tom Weber, KWMU
St. Louis – St. Louisan Bert Walker was sworn in Tuesday as the new U.S. Ambassador to Hungary.
Walker is the former head of the St. Louis-based investment firm Stifel-Nicolaus. He's also a cousin to former President George H.W. Bush, a family tie he admits was a factor in his appointment.
"I hope the current President thought I had some characteristics that would be useful to him," Walker said. "And when he found I would be available for this assignment, he advocated me. Certainly this appointment would not have happened if we didn't know each other for many years."
In leaving St. Louis, Walker is also leaving the Home Rule effort he headed. Missouri voters granted St. Louis City home rule status last year. That means city voters can change their government without needing statewide approval.
Still, Walker would not say whether he supports any specific reforms.
"The only thing I do think is we've had an archaic structure in the city," he said. "I think there's general agreement that we can have a more effective, more productive, more efficient, better form of government."
Walker said he plans to return to St. Louis whenever his time as Ambassador is done.