For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 25, 2003
Personnel Announcement
The President announced today the appointment of James R. Wilkinson
as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security
Advisor for Communications, and the appointment of Sean McCormack as
Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director of the National
Security Council Press Office. Both appointments will be effective
December 1, 2003.
Prior to joining the National Security Council staff, Mr. Wilkinson
served as Director of Strategic Communications for General Tommy Franks
at U.S. Central Command. At Central Command, Mr. Wilkinson
coordinated the command's strategic communications activities
throughout its 25-nation area of responsibility, including those
related to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in
Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa. During Operation Iraqi Freedom,
Mr. Wilkinson served as General Tommy R. Franks' principal spokesman
and managed the U.S. military's public affairs activities in the
region.
From January 2001 through November 2002, Mr. Wilkinson served at
the White House as Special Assistant to the President and Deputy
Director of Communications for Planning. Mr. Wilkinson also managed
the White House Coalition Information Center for the war against
terrorism. Prior to joining the White House, Mr. Wilkinson served as
spokesman for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld during the 2000
presidential transition. From 1992 through 2000, Mr. Wilkinson worked
in Congress for U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Armey. Mr. Wilkinson
received his B.B.A. in finance from the University of Texas at
Arlington and his M.A. from The Johns Hopkins University.
Mr. McCormack retains his current roles as spokesman for the
National Security Council and White House Deputy Press Secretary for
Foreign Affairs, reporting to the National Security Advisor and the
White House Press Secretary.
# # #
|