Interior chief names 'recovery czar'

Chris Henderson will oversee more than $3 billion the department plans to invest in communities, parks and public lands.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar last week welcomed yet another "czar" to the Obama administration. As the "recovery czar" for the Interior Department, Chris Henderson will oversee more than $3 billion the department plans to invest in communities, parks, and public lands.

Henderson, who has been named senior adviser to the secretary for economic recovery, has served as the chief operating officer for Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper since 2006 and also has experience in private equity investing.

National Journal reported in February about the multitude of czars Obama has named or promised to name in his administration. Still yet to be filled are the congressionally created White House position of intellectual property enforcement coordinator, or IP czar, and the long-promised tech czar post. Obama reportedly has selected Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske to be the nation's next drug czar and Melissa Hathaway may become the next cybersecurity czar.

Check out the blog Lost in Transition, a joint effort of Government Executive and National Journal.