Market Commentary and Intraday News

02/07/2010

(RTTNews) - U.S. President Barack Obama announced his intent to appoint persons as ambassadors to Albania, Lesotho, Malaysia, Uzbekistan and Turkey.

Announcing it, he said he was grateful that these impressive individuals had agreed to join his administration.

"I am confident they will serve ably in their new roles, and look forward to working with them in the coming months and years," he said in the statement.

Alexander A. Arvizu has been nominated as Ambassador to the Republic of Albania. He is currently the Director of Entry-Level Career Development and Assignments in the Department of State. Previously, he was a Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs and served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Bangkok, Thailand, and Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Michele T. Bond is the nominee for Ambassador to the Kingdom of Lesotho. She is currently Deputy Assistant Secretary for Overseas Citizens Services in the Bureau of Consular Affairs. Michele previously served as Director of Consular Affairs' Office of Policy Coordination and Public Affairs, Managing Director for Overseas Citizens Services, and Director of Consular Training at the Foreign Service Institute.

Paul W. Jones, currently Deputy to the Special Representative and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Afghanistan and Pakistan, is Obama's nominee for Ambassador to Malaysia. Jones previously served as the Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge d'Affaires in the Philippines and as Deputy Chief of the U.S. Mission to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and Deputy Chief of Mission in Macedonia.

George A. Krol has been picked as Ambassador to the Republic of Uzbekistan. He currently serves as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Central Asia in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs. He previously served as United States Ambassador to the Republic of Belarus, Minister Counselor at the United States Embassy in Moscow and has had other overseas postings in the Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, India and Poland.

Francis J. Ricciardone has been nominated as Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey. He has served since 2009 as Deputy Ambassador and Charge d'Affaires at the US Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. He also served as Ambassador to Egypt until 2008, and Ambassador to the Philippines and concurrently to Palau.

Ambassador Ricciardone led the transition to an organization of the US Embassy in Baghdad in 2004, and the Department of State's Task Force in response to the attacks of September 11, 2001. He served as former Secretary of State Madalene Albright's Special Representative for the Transition of Iraq from 1999-2001.

Obama nominated Indian-American Nisha Desai Biswal as Assistant Administrator for Asia in the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

USAID is headed by Raj Shah, the highest ranking Indian-American in the Obama Administration.

Biswal is currently a Majority Clerk for the State Department and Foreign Operations Subcommittee on the Committee on Appropriations in the US House of Representatives.

James M. Kesteloot, Appointee for Member, Committee for Purchase from People Who are Blind or Severely Disabled. He is the former President and Executive Director of The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired.

Kesteloot, who has been legally blind his entire life, joined the organization in 1969 as a Job Placement Counselor and served in many capacities throughout his 40 plus years with the organization. He has extensive practical experience with issues relating to the hiring of those who are blind or visually impaired.

Timothy Charles Scheve, President and Chief Executive Officer of Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, is the Nominee for Member, Internal Revenue Service Oversight Board. He became the President and CEO in August 2007 and has over 25 years of experience in the securities industry. Prior to becoming the President and CEO of Janney, Scheve was appointed Executive Vice President of Legg Mason in 1998 and Senior Executive Vice President in 2000.

Duane E. Woerth, Nominee for the rank of Ambassador during his tenure of service as U.S. Representative on the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization, Department of State. Woerth is currently Senior Vice President at an internet advertising firm in Omaha, Nebraska that he co-founded. From 1999-2006, he served as president of the Air Line Pilots Association.

Immediately following the attacks of 9/11, he was appointed by United States Department of Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta to serve on the Rapid Response Team for Aircraft Security.

Wayne Newell, Appointee for Member, National Advisory Council on Indian Education. He is a member of the Passamaquoddy Tribe located in eastern Maine. Newell's career spans over 40 years in Native education.

Stacy Phelps, Appointee for Member, National Advisory Council on Indian Education. He is an enrolled member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Tribe in South Dakota and currently coordinates the South Dakota GEAR UP. Phelps is also the Chief Executive Officer of the American Indian Institute for Innovation.

Patricia Whitefoot, Appointee for Member, National Advisory Council on Indian Education.

Whitefoot, a member of the Yakama Nation, has almost 40 years of education experience and has managed various Indian Education programs ranging from early childhood to higher education.

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