Appointment of Larry M. Speakes as Assistant to the President
August 5, 1983
The President today appointed Larry M. Speakes to be Assistant to the President. Mr. Speakes will be the President's chief spokesman and will continue to serve as Principal Deputy Press Secretary to the President.
Prior to joining the White House staff as Deputy Press Secretary to the President on January 20, 1981, Mr. Speakes was vice president of the international public relations firm of Hill and Knowlton in 1977 - 1981. He served as deputy spokesman in the office of the President-elect during transition and was on the communications staff of the Reagan-Bush committee during the 1980 campaign.
Mr. Speakes started his newspaper career in 1961 as editor of the Oxford (Mississippi) Eagle and was managing editor of The Bolivar Commercial in Cleveland, Miss., in 1962 - 1966. He was general manager and editor of Progress Publishers of Leland, Miss., publishing weekly newspapers in four cities, in 1966 - 1968. His newspapers won top awards from the Mississippi Press Association for 6 straight years.
Mr. Speakes came to Washington in 1968 as press secretary to Senator James O. Eastland (D-Miss.), serving as spokesman for the Committee on the Judiciary and a coordinator for Senator Eastland's 1972 reelection campaign. During his service with Senator Eastland, Mr. Speakes directed press relations for major Judiciary Committee hearings, including the confirmation of four Supreme Court Justices.
In 1974 Mr. Speakes joined the Nixon administration as a staff assistant to the President and was later appointed press secretary to the Special Counsel to the President. In August 1974, he became Assistant Press Secretary to the President in the Ford administration. During the 1976 Presidential campaign, he was press secretary to Senator Bob Dole (R-Kans.), the Republican candidate for Vice President. When President Ford left office in 1977, Mr. Speakes became his press secretary, serving until June 1, 1977.
Mr. Speakes attended the University of Mississippi, where he majored in journalism. He has received honors and awards, including the Distinguished Journalism Alumni Award from the University of Mississippi in 1981; Kappa Sigma Fraternity National Man of the Year Award in 1982; honorary doctor of letters degree from Indiana Central University in 1982; and the Special Achievement Award for 1983 from the National Association of Government Communicators.
He is married to the former Laura Crawford, has three children, and resides in Annandale, Va.
Appointment of Leslie A. Janka as Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Press Secretary for Foreign Affairs
August 5, 1983
The President today announced his intention to appoint Leslie A. Janka to be Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Press Secretary for Foreign Affairs. He will assume his duties on September 1, 1983.
Mr. Janka has extensive experience in foreign policy and public affairs, having previously served three Presidents. Since 1978 Mr. Janka has been a consultant and lecturer specializing in Middle Eastern defense and international economic issues. He has been associated with the government relations firm of Neill and Co. in Washington, D.C.
He served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (International Security Affairs) for Near Eastern, African and South Asian Affairs in 1976 - 1978. Mr. Janka was senior staff member of the National Security Council for legislative and public affairs in 1975 - 1976. He was staff assistant to Henry Kissinger, then Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, in 1971 - 1975. He was assistant dean of the School of Advanced International Studies, The Johns Hopkins University, in 1968 - 1971, and was a management specialist at the United States Information Agency in 1964 - 1968.
Mr. Janka graduated from the University of Redlands (California) (B.A., 1962) and the School of Advanced International Studies, The Johns Hopkins University (M.A., 1964). He is a recipient of the Department of Defense Outstanding Performance Award (1977) and the Secretary of Defense Meritorious Civilian's Service Medal (1978).
He was born June 9, 1940, in San Bernardino, Calif. He is married to the former Michele Reichelt and resides in Washington, D.C.
Appointment of Marlin Fitzwater as Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Press Secretary for Domestic Affairs
August 5, 1983
The President today announced his intention to appoint Marlin Fitzwater to be Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Press Secretary for Domestic Affairs. He will assume his duties on September 1, 1983.
Mr. Fitzwater has extensive government public affairs experience, serving as key spokesman in various departments over a period of 13 years. Since 1981 Mr. Fitzwater has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of the Treasury. In that position he served as press spokesman for Secretary Donald T. Regan and the Department of the Treasury. In recognition of his service, he was awarded the Meritorious Executive Award by President Reagan in 1982. Previously he served in the Office of Public Affairs at the Environmental Protection Agency in 1972 - 1981. During that time he served as spokesman for three Administrators. He served in the Office of the Secretary of Transportation in 1970 - 1972, as speechwriter for Secretary John Volpe.
Mr. Fitzwater was an advertising executive with the Manhattan (Kansas) Mercury and correspondent for the Topeka (Kansas) Capitol-Journal in 1962 - 1965.
He graduated from Kansas State University (B.A., journalism, 1965). He was born November 24, 1942, in Salina, Kans. He has two children and resides in Arlington, Va.
Nomination of George E. Moose To Be United States Ambassador to Benin
August 5, 1983
The President today announced his intention to nominate George E. Moose, of Maryland, a Foreign Service officer of Class one, to be Ambassador to the People's Republic of Benin. He would succeed James B. Engle.
Mr. Moose served as an intern with the Department of State in Mexico City in 1966 - 1967. He was area development officer on detail to the Agency for International Development in Vietnam in 1967 - 1970 and was political officer in DaNang, Vietnam, in 1970 - 1971. In 1971 - 1972 he was personnel officer, Board of Examiners, for the Foreign Service in the Department and political officer in Bridgetown in 1972 - 1974. In the Department he was foreign affairs analyst in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (1974 - 1976), international relations officer (1976 - 1977), Deputy Director (1978 - 1979) in the Office of Southern African Affairs, and special assistant in the Office of the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (1977 - 1978). He was foreign affairs fellow on the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City in 1979 - 1980. In 1980 - 1983 he was Deputy Counselor for Political and Security Affairs at the United States Mission to the United Nations in New York City.
Mr. Moose received his B.A. degree in 1966 from Grinnell College and attended Syracuse University in 1966 - 1967. His foreign languages are Vietnamese and some knowledge of French and Spanish. He was born June 23, 1944, in New York, N.Y.