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The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:
 

  • Erica L. Groshen – Commissioner of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor
  • Jeffrey D. Levine – Ambassador to the Republic of Estonia, Department of State
  • Peter Mahurin – Member, Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority
  • Major General John Peabody – President, Mississippi River Commission

President Obama said, “These individuals have demonstrated knowledge and dedication throughout their careers.  I am grateful they have chosen to take on these important roles, and I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come.”
 
President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:
 
Dr. Erica L. Groshen, Nominee for Commissioner of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor
Dr. Erica L. Groshen is Vice President and Economist in the Regional Analysis Function of the Research and Statistics Group at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, a position she has held since 2010.  Dr. Groshen joined the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in 1994 and has held a number of positions prior to her current role, including Vice President and Director of Regional Affairs in the Communications Group (2006 - 2010); Assistant Vice President in the Microeconomic and Regional Studies Function (2000 - 2006); Head of Domestic Research (1997 - 1999); and Head of International Research (1994 -1997).  From 1999 to 2000, she was also a Visiting Economist at the Bank for International Settlements in Basel, Switzerland.  From 1993 to 1994, she was a Visiting Assistant Professor of Economics at Barnard College at Columbia University.  Dr. Groshen began her career at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, where she served as an Economic Advisor from 1991 to 1993 and as an Economist from 1986 to 1991.  She is a Member of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Data Users’ Advisory Committee and serves on the editorial board of Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society.  Dr. Groshen earned her B.S. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her M.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard University.
 
Jeffrey D. Levine, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Estonia, Department of State
Jeffrey D. Levine, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, has served as the State Department’s Office Director of Recruitment, Examination and Employment since September 2010.  Prior to this position, he was Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Budapest, Hungary from 2007 to 2010.  From 2003 to 2006, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Sofia, Bulgaria.  Other overseas positions include: Management Counselor in Brasilia, Brazil (1999-2002); Management Officer in Nicosia, Cyprus (1995-1998); Consular/General Services Officer in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (1988-1990); and Consular/Political Officer in Lima, Peru (1985-1987).  In Washington, Mr. Levine served as Special Assistant in the Office of the Under Secretary for Management (1994-1995), Hungary Desk Officer in the Office of Eastern European Affairs (1993-1994), and Watch Officer in the State Operations Center (1992-1993). He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Humboldt State University and a Master’s Degree from National Defense University.
 
Peter Mahurin, Nominee for Member, Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority
Peter Mahurin is Chairman of Hilliard Lyons Financial Services, a position he has held since 2008.  Mr. Mahurin has worked for Hilliard Lyons since 1968 in various capacities.  In addition to his work at Hilliard Lyons, Mr. Mahurin serves as a board member for Houchens Industries, Albany Bancorp, Cecelia Bancorp, Gray Construction, Jackson Financial, and the Governors Scholars of Kentucky.  Prior to his time at Hilliard Lyons, Mr. Mahurin was a high school math and science teacher.  Mr. Mahurin earned a B.A. in Chemistry from Western Kentucky University.   
 
Major General John Peabody, Nominee for President, Mississippi River Commission
Major General John Peabody is Commander and Division Engineer of the Mississippi Valley Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  Major General Peabody directs all U.S. Army Corps of Engineers water resources development in the Mississippi River basin, an area of over 370,000 square miles including all or parts of 12 states.  He entered military service in 1980 upon commissioning as a second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers, and has spent most of his career as a combat engineer, with operational deployments to Somalia, Kuwait, and Iraq.  Major General Peabody is a graduate of the United States Military Academy, the Command and General Staff College, and the Army War College with a master's degree in Strategic Studies.  He also received an M.P.A from Harvard University and studied as an Olmsted Scholar at El Colegio de Mexico, Mexico City.