IN THE PROFESSION
culture and business practices of
many countries has helped me build
a rapport with clients from abroad.
The position deeply strengthened my
already strong ties to Denmark where
I maintain a large number of clients.
John
Parkerson
Hungary
How did you become a Honorary
Consulate?
The journey began in 2004 when I was in-
house international legal counsel at Delta
Air Lines, and I assisted in organizing
András Simonyi, pitched in with organizing
a Hungarian delegation visit in which he
accompanied some 30 Hungarian business
and government representatives to Atlanta.
Soon after, Simonyi and I traveled together
with Delta executives to Budapest on Delta’s
inaugural JFK-BUD flight. During the
return flight to Atlanta, the Ambassador
asked me if I would be interested in
representing Hungary as its Honorary
Consul. I was surprised, but did not hesitate
to reply affirmatively. Not long after, the
Government of Hungary in 2007 appointed
me its Honorary Consul General and
Foreign Economic Counselor for Georgia,
Alabama, Tennessee, and the Carolinas.
In 2018, I was honored to be awarded the
Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit in
a ceremony at my law firm, Hall Booth
Smith, PC, at which H.E. Ambassador Dr.
László Szabó and Economic and Trade
Attaché Dorottya Martonffy-Nagy from the
Embassy in Washington presided.
I always was interested in Hungary
from the time I was a European History
undergraduate major, and then becoming
further focused when getting my Masters’
Degrees in European Diplomacy and later
International Relations. Hungary has a
very unique and important history and
political position.
What is an interesting story from
your work as Honorary Consul of
Hungary?
My primary role assisting in building
business relationships between the southeast
U.S. and Hungary is very gratifying. I
must admit, though, that the “coolest”
times are when I am able to participate in
the soft diplomacy surrounding cultural
events – especially involving Hungary’s
powerful music traditions. This kind
of fun began quickly when, during the
2005 visit, Ambassador Simonyi played
guitar an evening at Blind Willy’s with the
Atlanta blues band The Breeze Kings. He
later arranged for renowned banjoist Bela
Fleck to play at my consular appointment
reception on the rooftop of the Metro
Atlanta Chamber. More such adventures
follow to this day, such as when current
Ambassador Szabó played in 2018 with the
Hungarian jazz fusion band Djabe at the
Blue Note in Atlanta’s suburbs.
How does this role impact your
legal practice?
As an international business attorney in
private practice, I feel that I have gained
some positive marketing from the consular
association, as well as invaluable practical
experience getting to know better the
region’s legal and business climate, as well
as the personalities in Hungary and the
Central and Eastern European region
generally. I am fortunate to work for a
law firm that allows me to develop an
international practice that utilizes that
expertise.
L-R: Economic and Trade Attaché Dorottya Martonffy-Nagy from the Embassy in
Washington, John Parkserson and H.E. Ambassador Dr. László Szabó.
a local trade mission to Hungary. We
reciprocally hosted in 2005 after the
Ambassador of Hungary at the time,
Why did you want to represent
Hungary as an Honory Consulate?
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