It’s official. Well-known internet wizard and Obama campaign fundraiser Matthew Barzun has been appointed as the next Ambassador to Sweden.

From the Associated Press:

Obama nominated Louisville, Ky., technology entrepreneur and business executive Matthew Barzun, who raised more than $500,000 for the campaign, to be the next U.S. ambassador to Sweden, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan group that tracks money in politics.

Barzun, owner of the internet publisher Brickpath LLC and a prolific contributor to Democratic candidates, personally donated $4,600 to Obama’s campaign and $2,300 to now Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s primary run, according to the center.

He also contributed $25,000 to Obama’s inauguration fund. Barzun and his family contributed more than $290,000 to political campaigns and groups during the 2008 election cycle, it said.

Congratulations to Matthew!

We’ll have more later on.

UPDATE – Here’s more from the official White House release:

President Obama said, “I am grateful that these fine individuals will serve in my administration and I am confident that they will well represent our nation abroad and help strengthen our relationships within the international community. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”

-SNIP-

Matthew Barzun, Nominee for Ambassador to Sweden
Mr. Barzun is the president at BrickPath LLC, where he advises and invests in Internet media companies. Prior to BrickPath, Mr. Barzun served as the Executive Vice President for CNET Networks’ Business Technology group. Mr. Barzun was responsible for helping further cement the leadership position of CNET Networks’ business technology brands, including News.com, ZDNet, TechRepublic, and Builder.com. Prior to that position, Mr. Barzun was chief strategy officer of CNET Networks, where he advised the CEO and the executive committee on business and organizational alignment across the company’s divisions, including leading the efforts to define and communicate the company’s mission, values, and corporate goals. Mr. Barzun graduated magna cum Laude from Harvard College.

Exciting for Louisville and for Kentucky!