Personnel News

The Wall Street Journal (6/28) reports, “A Pennsylvania regulator was named chief administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency’s mid- Atlantic regional office. Donald Welsh, 43 years old, who joined the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection in 1995, was named to the post by EPA Administrator Christie Todd Whitman.” The Journal adds, “The director of the West Virginia Coal Association, William Raney, said his industry didn’t know Mr. Welsh, but added, ‘He’s got a big job to do. We wish him well.'” The Kansas City Star (6/28) reports, “President Bush has nominated Cranston Mitchell, former chairman of the Missouri Board of Probation and Parole, to the United States Parole Commission. Mitchell is a corrections program specialist for the National Institute of Corrections in the Justice Department. He is a former St. Louis police officer, held two other posts in state government, then was chairman of the Board of Probation and Parole for about 14 years until December 1999. Also named to the commission were Gilbert Gallegos of New Mexico, Henry Hart III of Pennsylvania and Marie Fajardo Ragghianti of Tennessee. Last month, Bush named Edward Reilly commission chairman.” The Chicago Sun-Times (6/28, Schoenburg) reports, “Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director Thomas Skinner will be leaving his post to join the U.S. EPA as director of the Chicago-based Midwest Region, which covers six states.” Skinner “will be carrying on a family tradition of serving in a Bush administration. His father, Sam Skinner, was secretary of transportation and chief of staff for former President George H. W. Bush.” CQ (6/27, Caifa) reported Christi Harlan, “former communications director for the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, has been tapped to direct the office of external relations at the Federal Emergency Management Agency.” Sen. Frank H. Murkowski “has made changes to his Washington staff. Jack Phelps is the new chief of staff, replacing David Garman, who was appointed assistant secretary of Energy for renewable and energy efficiency by President Bush.” In addition, “returning to Murkowski’s office is Jerry Ritter, who has been named deputy press secretary.” Dan McFaul has “traded in his Hill post for a job on the campaign trail. The former deputy chief of staff and legislative director in the office of retiring Rep. Joe Scarborough, R-Fla., will head Republican State Rep. Jeff Miller’s bid for Scarborough’s seat in the 1st District.” Jennifer Senft will “join Citizens for a Sound Economy as director of development. Currently legislative coordinator for Rep. Brian Kerns, R-Ind., she has also worked for the firm Hammond and Associates.” The Frontrunner (6/28) reports Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer, & Feld, LLP yesterday announced the formation of AG Global Solutions, a joint venture with First International Resources, Inc. The joint venture will provide clients with an expanded international presence though the participation of three experts who will also serve as senior international advisers: former Swedish Prime Minister and current Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for the Balkans, Carl Bildt; former Israeli Cabinet secretary and prominent lawyer, Issac Herzog; and former White House National Security Council Senior Director for Latin America and current director for Latin American Studies at Georgetown University, Arturo Valenzuela. Three members of Akin Gump’s Washington, DC office, former Speaker Tom Foley, former Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman, and former Rep. Bill Paxon, will also be involved with AG Global Solutions. The joint venture’s principals will include Zev Furst, Daniel Speigel, James Langdon, George Salem, and Toby Gati.