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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
February 24, 2003

Personnel Announcement

February 24, 2003

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

The President intends to nominate Eric S. Edelman of Virginia, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Turkey. A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Ambassador Edelman has served as Principal Deputy Assistant to the Vice President for National Security Affairs since January 2001. From 1998 until 2001, he served as Ambassador to Finland. Prior to this, he served with distinction as the Senior Policy Advisor and Executive Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of State and as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. His previous assignments overseas include service from 1994 until 1996, as Deputy Chief of Mission in Prague and from 1987 until 1989 as Political Officer in Moscow with the Afghanistan/Middle East brief. He began his career as a member of the West Bank/Gaza autonomy talks delegation, continued to work Middle East issues as Special Assistant to Secretary George Schultz and held the Afghanistan/Middle East portfolio on the Soviet Desk. Ambassador Edelman earned a bachelor's degree from Cornell University and a Ph.D. from Yale University.

The President intends to nominate Gregory W. Engle of Colorado, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Togolese Republic. A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Mr. Engle, is currently the Director of the Office of Regional and Security Affairs in the Bureau of African Affairs at the Department of State. He previously served as Special Coordinator for the Africa Crisis Response Initiative. From 1999 until 2001, he served as the second Director of the International Cooperative Administrative Support Services Program. From 1996 until 1999, he served as Consul General in Johannesburg and he served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Lilongwe from 1992 until 1995. Other previous overseas assignments include service as Administrative Officer in Nicosia and Addis Ababa, General Services Officer in Munich, and Rotational Officer in Islamabad. Mr. Engle earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Colorado.

The President intends to nominate Mark Van Dyke Holmes of New York, to serve as a Judge of the United States Tax Court, for a fifteen-year term. Mr. Holmes currently serves as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Tax Division at the Department of Justice. He previously served as Counsel in the Tax Department with the firm of Miller & Chevalier. Before that, he served as Counsel to the Chair and Commissioners of the U.S. International Trade Commission. Earlier in his career, Mr. Holmes served as a law clerk for Judge Alex Kozinski of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He is a graduate of Harvard University and earned his law degree from the University of Chicago Law School.

The President intends to nominate the following individuals to serve as members of the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy:

The President intends to nominate Maria Sophia Aguirre of the District of Columbia, for the remainder of a three-year term expiring July 1, 2003, and an additional three-year term expiring July 1, 2006.

The President intends to nominate Elizabeth F. Bagley of the District of Columbia, for the remainder of a three-year term expiring July 1, 2005.

The President intends to nominate Barbara McConnell Barrett of Arizona, for the remainder of a three-year term expiring July 1, 2003, and an additional three-year term expiring July 1, 2006, and upon confirmation, designate Chairman.

The President intends to nominate Charles William Evers III of Florida, for the remainder of a three-year term expiring July 1, 2003, and an additional three-year term expiring July 1, 2006.

The President intends to nominate Harold C. Pachios of Maine, for the remainder of a three-year term expiring July 1, 2005.

The President intends to nominate Jay T. Snyder of New York, for the remainder of a three-year term expiring July 1, 2004.

The President intends to designate Richard H. Carmona of Arizona, to be Acting Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services (Health). Dr. Carmona is currently the Surgeon General of Public Health Service. In his new role, he will maintain his current position. Previously, he served as Professor of Surgery at the University of Arizona. He was also the Chief Executive Officer of Pima Health Care System and Medical Director of Kino Community Hospital. He earned a bachelor's degree and a medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco. He went on to earn a master's in public health from the University of Arizona.

The President intends to designate William H. Campbell of Maryland, to be Acting Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Human Resources and Administration). He currently serves as Assistant Secretary for Management at the Department of Veterans Affairs. In his new role, Mr. Campbell will continue to oversee the Office of Management. Previously, Mr. Campbell served as the Chief Financial Officer of the United States Coast Guard. Mr. Campbell is a graduate of Massachusetts Maritime Academy and earned his master's degree from Johns Hopkins University.

The President intends to appoint James Byrne Francis, Jr. of Texas, to be a Member of the American Battle Monuments Commission. Mr. Francis is the President of Francis Enterprises and serves as Commissioner of the Texas Department of Public Safety. He was previously a partner at Bright & Company, in Dallas, Texas. Mr. Francis is a graduate of Tulane University.

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