Press Release - Personnel Announcement

President George W. Bush today announced his intention to nominate ten individuals to serve in his Administration:

The President intends to nominate Phillip Jackson Bell, of Georgia, to be Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Logistics and Material Readiness. Mr. Bell currently serves as Deputy Under Secretary of the Army at the Department of Defense. He previously served as Chief of Staff for the Afghanistan Reconstruction Group at the Department of State. Mr. Bell received his bachelor's degree from Northwestern University and his master's degree from the University of South Carolina, prior to serving in the United States Marine Corps.

The President intends to nominate Susan P. Bodine, of Maryland, to be Assistant Administrator, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, Environmental Protection Agency. Ms. Bodine currently serves as Staff Director and Senior Counsel for the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. She previously served as Associate Attorney for Covington and Burling in Washington, DC. Ms. Bodine received her bachelor's degree from Princeton University and her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law.

The President intends to nominate John Hillen, of Virginia, to be Assistant Secretary of State (Political-Military Affairs). Dr. Hillen currently serves as President of CGI-AMS Secure Incorporated. Earlier in his career, he served as a Senior Scholar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Heritage Foundation. Prior to that, Dr. Hillen served in the United States Army and received a Bronze Star Medal for actions in combat during Operation Desert Storm. He received his bachelor's degree from Duke University and his first master's degree from the University of London King's College. He later received his Ph.D. from the University of Oxford St. Anthony's College and his second master's degree from Cornell University.

The President intends to nominate Darryl W. Jackson, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce (Export Enforcement). Mr. Jackson currently serves as a Partner in the law firm of Arnold & Porter, LLP. In addition, he is a Distinguished Lecturer in Law at the Columbus School of Law of The Catholic University of America. Prior to that, Mr. Jackson served as Executive Assistant United States Attorney for Operations in the District of Columbia. He received his bachelor's degree from Lincoln University of Pennsylvania and his J.D. from Howard University School of Law.

The President intends to nominate David H. McCormick, of Pennsylvania, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration. Mr. McCormick currently serves as President and Director of Ariba, Inc., a software and services solutions company. He previously served as President and CEO of FreeMarkets, Inc. Prior to that, he served in the United States Army and received a Bronze Star Medal for his service in Iraq during the first Gulf War. Mr. McCormick received his bachelor's degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He later received his master's degree and his Ph.D. from Princeton University.

The President intends to nominate Gillian A. Milovanovic, of Pennsylvania, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Macedonia. A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Ms. Milovanovic currently serves as Deputy Chief of Mission in Pretoria, South Africa. She previously served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Stockholm, Sweden. Earlier in her career, Ms. Milovanovic was Director of the Office of Nordic and Baltic Affairs at the Department of State. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania and her master's degree from Temple University.

The President intends to nominate Michael Retzer, of Mississippi, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the United Republic of Tanzania. Mr. Retzer currently serves as President and CEO of Retzer Resources, Inc. a company that he founded in 1973. He previously served a Supervisor for Texas Instruments. Prior to that, Mr. Retzer served as a Captain in the United States Air Force. Mr. Retzer received his bachelor's degree from the University of Oregon.

The President intends to nominate Ronald M. Sega, of Colorado, to be Under Secretary of the Air Force. Dr. Sega currently serves as Director of Defense Research and Engineering at the Department of Defense. He previously served as Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Dr. Sega received his bachelor's degree from the United States Air Force Academy, his master's degree from Ohio State University and his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado. Following his graduation from the Academy, he served on active duty for eight years and continues to serve in the United States Air Force Reserves.

The President intends to nominate Josette Sheeran Shiner, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary of State (Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs). Ms. Shiner currently serves as Deputy United States Trade Representative. She previously served as Associate United States Trade Representative for Policy and Communications. Prior to joining USTR, she served as Managing Director of Starpoint Solutions, a technology firm. Earlier in her career, she served as President and CEO of Empower America and as managing editor of The Washington Times. Ms. Shiner received her bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

The President intends to nominate Eric M. Thorson, of Virginia, to be Inspector General of the Small Business Administration. Mr. Thorson currently serves as Senior Advisor for Investigative Operations and Agency Planning in the Office of Personnel Management. He previously served as Special Assistant to the Republican Leader of the United States Senate. Earlier in his career, Mr. Thorson was the Chief Investigator for the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations in the United States Senate. He received his bachelor's degree from the United States Air Force Academy, prior to serving six years on active duty and five years in the United States Air Force Reserves.