View Header

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary


For Immediate Release December 16, 1997
               PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES MOZELLE W. THOMPSON 
                  AND ORSON SWINDLE AS COMMISSIONERS 
                    OF THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

The President today announced the recess appointments of Mozelle W. Thompson and Orson Swindle as Commissioners of the Federal Trade Commission. Mr. Thompson and Mr. Swindle were both nominated to the Senate on November 8, 1997. Currently both nominations are pending before the Senate.

Mr. Thompson, of Manhattan, New York, is currently Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Government Financial Policy at the Department of Treasury, where he has been since 1993. In this capacity Mr. Thompson is responsible for domestic credit and spending policies including the creation and implementation of Treasury's Office of Privatization. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Thompson served as the Chief Legal Officer and Secretary to the Board of the New York State Housing Finance Agency and its sister corporations. Mr. Thompson also has extensive experience as a litigator at Skadden, Arps, Meagher, & Flom, and as a law professor at Fordham University School of Law and Brooklyn Law School. Mr. Thompson received his A.B. and J.D. from Columbia University. He received his M.P.A. from Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University.

Mr. Swindle, of Honolulu, Hawaii, served in the Reagan Administration as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, where he managed the U.S. Department of Commerce's national economic development efforts directing seven offices across the country. Mr. Swindle was State Director of Farmers Home Administration, where he directed rural economic and community development efforts for the U.S. Department of Agriculture financing rural housing, community infrastructure, businesses, and farming. Mr. Swindle received his B.S. in Industrial Management from Georgia Tech and an M.B.A. from Florida State University.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is a bi-partisan, independent agency responsible for enforcing competition and consumer protection throughout the U.S. economic community. The Commission works closely with the Antitrust Division of the Justice Department. Given the importance of much of the Commission's work addressing consumer fraud including matters relating to health and safety, and making time sensitive decisions concerning proposed mergers, which significantly affect financial markets, these appointments are necessary to ensure the health and safety of the American public and the stability of the American economy.

-30-30-30-