Ambassador Taubman is married and has a son, Marc, and a daughter, Lara.  He also has three grandchildren.  He graduated from the Mercersburg Academy and the Wharton School of  Finance and Commerce, University of Pennsylvania.  He is the retired Chairman of Advance Auto Parts and served as United States Ambassador to Romania from 2005 to 2008.  The Ambassador has received awards from Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia and the Star of Romania Mare Cruce, the highest Romanian Civilian Award.  Currently he is Emeritus Director of the Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke, Virginia along with being Board chairman of the National Museum of American History-Smithsonian Institute.  He is a Managing Director of the Metropolitan Opera in New York.