Press Release - Personnel Announcement

President George W. Bush today announced his intention to nominate two individuals, nominate and designate one individual, designate two individuals and appoint one individual to serve in his administration:

The President intends to nominate Joe D. Whitley of Georgia, to be General Counsel of the Department of Homeland Security. He currently serves as an Equity Partner with Alston & Bird in Atlanta, Georgia. He previously served as U.S. Attorney for both the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia. Mr. Whitley earned his bachelor's degree and his law degree from the University of Georgia.

The President intends to nominate Eduardo Aguirre, Jr. of Texas, to be the Director of the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Service at the Department of Homeland Security. He is currently the Acting Director of the Bureau and the Vice Chairman and First Vice President of the Export-Import Bank of the United States. Mr. Aguirre previously worked for Bank of America for 24 years. He was named "One of the 100 most Influential Hispanics in the Nation" by Hispanic Business Magazine for three consecutive years. Mr. Aguirre earned his bachelor's degree from Louisiana State University.

The President intends to designate Michael J. Garcia of New York, to be Acting Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement), and nominate him to be Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement). Mr. Garcia is currently the Acting Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization at the Department of Justice. He previously served as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement. Earlier in his career, Mr. Garcia served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York. He also previously worked as a law clerk for New York State Court of Appeals Judge Judith S. Kaye, and served with the firm Cahill Gordon & Reindel. Mr. Garcia is a graduate of State University of New York at Binghamton, earned his master's from the College of William and Mary and his law degree from Albany Law School of Union University.

The President intends to designate Richard Seybolt of Oklahoma, to be Federal Commissioner and Chairman of the Arkansas-Oklahoma Arkansas River Compact Commission (Arkansas and Oklahoma).

The President intends to designate David Vandergriff of Arkansas, to be Alternate Federal Commissioner of the Arkansas-Oklahoma Arkansas River Compact Commission (Arkansas and Oklahoma)

The President intends to appoint Kenneth C. Canterbury, Jr. of South Carolina, to be a Member of the Medal of Valor Review Board (Law Enforcement), for a four-year term.