Comings and Goings

A new, regular feature of GovExec.com, Comings and Goings will announce the arrivals and departures of top federal managers and executives. To submit an announcement, e-mail it to webmaster@govexec.com or fax it to 202-739-8511.

C O M I N G S

The Clinton administration's candidate for administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy will be Deidre A. Lee, associate administrator for procurement at NASA, according to the Bureau of National Affairs, a Washington newsletter firm. Lee has held various acquisition positions at NASA and in the Defense Department. Her nomination is expected early next year.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has announced the appointment of Linda J. Ferren as Executive Director. Ferren comes to the CFTC from the U.S. Courts for the District of Columbia Circuit, where she has been the Circuit Executive since 1988. She is expected to assume her position in early January.

Vice President Al Gore last week announced a slate of new senior aides. Monica Maples Dixon and Pat Moore Ewing will become deputy chiefs of staff. Dixon is currently the executive director of the House of Representatives Democratic Caucus and chief of Staff to Rep. Vic Fazio, D-Calif. Ewings is a seasoned campaign adviser and manager. Lawrence Haas, presently the communications director at the Office of Management and Budget, will be Gore's new communications chief. And Morley Winograd, formerly a regional sales VP for AT&T, settled into his job as director of the National Performance Review.

Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman this week announced the appointment of Samuel E. Thornton as director of the Agriculture Department's newly created Office of Outreach. The office was created to improve relations between the department and minority groups. Thornton served as a senior advisor to the Secretary of Agriculture and deputy director of USDA's Office of Communications.

Diane K. Townsend was recently selected as Command Counsel for the Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP), replacing Douglas P. Larsen, Jr., who recently assumed the position of Command Counsel for the Military Sealift Command. Townsend began her federal career with the Treasury Department in 1978 and moved to the Navy in 1980.

G O I N G S

John F. Downey, executive director for supervision at the Office of Thrift Supervision, is retiring Jan. 3 after 30 years as a banking regulator. Downey began his federal career in 1967 with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and later worked for the Federal Home Loan Bank System.

K U D O S

The Senior Executives Association Professional Development League will honor seven federal executives Dec. 12 at the 12th annual Executive Excellence Awards luncheon in Washington. Four will receive the Distinguished Executive Service Award:

• William Crowell, deputy director, National Security Agency
• Dr. Isabella Karle, senior scientist for structural chemistry, Naval Research Laboratory
• John O'Neill, director of space operations, Johnson Space Center, NASA
• Dr. George Schneiter, director, strategic and tactical systems, office of the principal under secretary for acquisition and technology, Defense Department

• Dr. Herbert Lee Buchanan III, deputy director, DARPA
• Thomas Heenan, assistant manager for the office of environmental quality, Savannah River Operations Office, Energy Department
• Jon Ogg, director of engineering, aeronautical systems center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base