President Donald J. Trump today announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key positions in his Administration:
James N. Stewart of North Carolina, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower and Reserve Affairs). Mr. Stewart most recently served as economic development committee chair on the North Carolina Military Affairs Commission where he provided advice, counsel, and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature on North Carolina’s military installations. Mr. Stewart is a retired Air Force Reserve Major General. In his last assignment, he served as military executive of the Secretary of Defense’s Reserve Forces Policy Board. In addition, Mr. Stewart held key leadership positions at Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command. Mr. Stewart is a recipient of the Department of Defense’s Superior Service Medal, the Alabama Reserve Officer’s Association’s Minuteman Hall of Fame Award, and the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal. He received his B.S. in sociology and criminology from Auburn University, an M.S. in general administration from Central Michigan University, and an M.S. in national security strategy from the National Defense University’s National War College.
John F. Ring of the District of Columbia, to be a Member of the National Labor Relations Board for a term of five years beginning December 17, 2017. Mr. Ring is a partner at the law firm of Morgan Lewis & Bockius, where he co-leads the firm’s Labor/Management Relations Practice and is the leader of the Washington office’s Labor & Employment Practice Group. Mr. Ring has been with Morgan Lewis his entire legal career, starting as a summer associate in 1988 and becoming partner in 1999. From 2005 to 2016, Mr. Ring served on the board of the Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ), and was board chairman in 2015 and 2016. Mr. Ring earned both his B.A. and J.D. from Catholic University in Washington. He is a native of Connecticut.
Johnathan Miller of Virginia, to be an Assistant Administrator (Bureau for Africa) of the United States Agency for International Development. Mr. Miller most recently served as president of Airborne Lifeline Foundation, which provided scheduled air transport of medical personnel to remote medical facilities in several Southern African countries. Previously, he served as president of Bluemont International and partner at The Brock Group, specializing in emerging market work in Africa and Asia. He also served as the president of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, the largest equine rescue organization in the world. Mr. Miller also served as Peace Corps Director in Botswana, at USAID and the Department of State. In addition, he was Senior Director at the National Security Council and Deputy Assistant to President Reagan. Mr. Miller was chief of staff to former Congressman William Goodling of Pennsylvania. He is a Member of the Kentucky Bar and received an A.B. from Duke University and a J.D. from the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville.
Thomas E. Ayres of Pennsylvania, to be General Counsel of the Department of the Air Force, vice Gordon O. Tanner. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Ayres most recently served as the Deputy Judge Advocate General of the United States Army. Previously, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Ayres served as Commander of the U.S. Army Legal Services Agency, the Chief Judge of the U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals, and the Commander and Commandant of the Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School. His former assignments as a command Staff Judge Advocate (SJA) include multiple deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. He also served as the Deputy Legal Counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is a recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, and the Bronze Star with two oak leave clusters. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Ayres is a graduate of the United States Military Academy and the University of Pennsylvania School of Law.
Michael Stoker of California, to be the Director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. Mr. Stoker has been an attorney at law focusing on labor and agricultural issues for over 30 years. Mr. Stoker has served in many positions in State and local government. From 2000 to 2002, Mr. Stoker served as California Deputy Secretary of State. From 1995 to 2000, he served as Chairman of the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board. Mr. Stoker also served as a member of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors from 1986 to 1994. He graduated from the University of California Berkeley with a B.A. in 1976 and from Loyola Law School with a J.D. in 1980.
Kenneth Steven Barbic of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Agriculture (Congressional Affairs). Mr. Barbic currently serves as a senior director for the Irvine based Western Growers Association, where he has worked for nearly a decade to advance the competitiveness of American produce farmers. Mr. Barbic grew up in Bakersfield in a farming family which, from an early age, gave him an appreciation for the challenges and opportunities facing agriculture. Prior to his work with Western Growers, Mr. Barbic served as Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Congressional Affairs and as a legislative assistant with the House Committee on Ways on Means. Mr. Barbic graduated with honors from Maranatha Baptist University with a B.S. in business management. Mr. Barbic and his wife, Kelli, live in Washington, D.C. with their two children.
Jackie Wolcott of Virginia, to be the Representative of the United States of America with the rank of Ambassador, on the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Also, to be Representative of the United States of America to the Vienna Office of the United Nations, with the Rank of Ambassador. Ms. Wolcott has served as commissioner of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom since 2016, following service as the Commission’s executive director from 2010-2015. She served in the Department of State as Special Envoy for Nuclear Nonproliferation (2008-2009), Alternate Representative for Special Political Affairs in the United Nations, with the rank of Ambassador (2006-2008), U.S. Representative to the Conference on Disarmament and Special Representative of the President of the United States for the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons, with Rank of Ambassador in Geneva, Switzerland (2003-2006) and Alternate Representative to the Board of Governors and General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria (2004-2005). Ms. Wolcott earned a B.A. from Bowling Green State University.
Francis R. Fannon of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Energy Resources). Mr. Fannon has been a businessman in the global energy and resources industries, an attorney, and a senior staffer in the U.S. Senate. He became partner of the Coefficient Group in Washington, D.C. in 2017. Before that, Mr. Fannon was head of corporate affairs at BHP Billiton and senior director of Murphy Oil Corporation, both in Washington, D.C. A senior staffer in the U.S. Senate, he served as counsel to the Committee on Environment & Public Works (2003-2007), where he assisted in the drafting, negotiation, and ultimate passage of the seminal Energy Policy Act of 2005, senior legislative assistant in the Office of U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (2001-2003), and legislative assistant for U.S. Senator Pete V. Domenici (2000-2001). Prior to joining the Senate, he worked as an attorney in Washington D.C. Mr. Fannon earned a B.A. from Radford University, a M.A. from the Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver, and a J.D. from Sturm College of Law, University of Denver.
