Nomination of J. J. Simmons III To Be Under Secretary of the Interior

The President today announced his intention to nominate J. J. Simmons III to be Under Secretary of the Interior. He would succeed Donald P. Hodel.

Mr. Simmons is currently serving as a member of the Interstate Commerce Commission. He was vice president for government relations for the Amerada Hess Corp., New York, N.Y., in 1970-1982. He was Administrator, Oil Import Administration, Department of the Interior, in 1969-1970; Deputy Administrator, Oil Import Administration, in 1968-1969; Assistant Director, Office of Oil and Gas, Department of the Interior, in 1961-1968; and vice president, secretary-treasurer, and geologist with Simmons Royalty Co., Muskogee, Okla., in 1949-1961.

He graduated from St. Louis University (B.S., 1949) and attended the University of Detroit. He is married, has five children, and resides in Washington, D.C. He was born March 26, 1925.