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The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

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

  • J. Christopher Giancarlo – Commissioner, Commodity Futures Trading Commission
  • Michael P. O’Rielly - Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission
  • Patrick Pizzella – Member, Federal Labor Relations Authority

President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

J. Christopher Giancarlo, Nominee for Commissioner, Commodity Futures Trading Commission
J. Christopher Giancarlo is the Executive Vice President at GFI Group, a position he has held since 2001.  Previously, he was the Executive Vice President of Fenics Ltd from 2000 to 2001.  Prior to this role, he was a Partner with Brown Raysman Millstein Felder & Steiner from 1997 to 2000.  From 1992 to 1997, Mr. Giancarlo was a founding Partner with Giancarlo & Gleiberman.  Between the years of 1985 and 1991, he was an Associate Attorney with Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle.  He began his career as an Associate Attorney with Mudge, Rose, Guthrie, Alexander & Ferdon from 1984 to 1985.  Mr. Giancarlo received a B.A. from Skidmore College and a J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law.

Michael P. O’Rielly, Nominee for Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission
Michael P. O’Rielly is a Policy Advisor in the Office of the Senate Republican Whip, led by U.S. Senator John Cornyn, a position he has held since January 2013.  He has worked in the Republican Whip’s Office since 2010, as an Advisor from 2010 to 2012 and Deputy Chief of Staff and Policy Director from 2012 to 2013 for U.S. Senator Jon Kyl.  Mr. O’Rielly previously worked for the Republican Policy Committee in the U.S. Senate as a Policy Analyst for Banking, Technology, Transportation, Trade, and Commerce issues from 2009 to 2010.  Prior to this, he worked in the Office of U.S. Senator John Sununu, as Legislative Director from 2007 to 2009, and Senior Legislative Assistant from 2003 to 2007.  Before his tenure as a Senate staffer, Mr. O’Rielly served as a Professional Staff Member on the Committee on Energy and Commerce in the United States House of Representatives from 1998 to 2003, and Telecommunications Policy Analyst from 1995 to 1998. He began his career as a Legislative Assistant to U.S. Congressman Tom Bliley from 1994 to 1995.  Mr. O’Rielly received his B.A. from the University of Rochester.

Patrick Pizzella, Nominee for Member, Federal Labor Relations Authority
Patrick Pizzella is Principal at Patrick Pizzella, LLC, a position he has held since 2009.  Mr. Pizzella served as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Administration and Management at the U.S. Department of Labor from 2001 to 2009.  Previously, he worked at Preston Gates Ellis & Rouvelas Meeds LLP as a Government Affairs Counselor from 1998 to 2001 and Director of Coalitions from 1996 to 1997.  From 1990 to 1995, Mr. Pizzella was Director of the Office of Administration at the Federal Housing Finance Board and from 1988 to 1989, Deputy Under Secretary for Management at the U.S. Department of Education.  He has previously held positions at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, U.S. Small Business Administration, and the U.S. General Services Administration.  Mr. Pizzella received a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of South Carolina.