For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
May 14, 2002

Nominations
President Bush to Nominate Three Individuals to Serve in His Administration

President George W. Bush today announced his intention to nominate three individuals to serve in his administration.

The President intends to nominate Kevin Vincent Ryan to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of California. Ryan has served as a Judge on the Superior Court of California since 1999, and from 1996 to 1999, he served as a Judge on the San Francisco Municipal Court. From 1986 to 1995, Ryan was Deputy District Attorney in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the University of San Francisco School of Law.

The President intends to nominate J.B. Van Hollen to be United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. Van Hollen has served as Bayfield County Attorney since 1999, and from 1993 to 1999, he was Ashland County Attorney. From 1991 to 1993, he was an Assistant United States Attorney in the United State's Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. Van Hollen is a graduate of St. Olaf's College and the University of Wisconsin Law School.

The President intends to nominate Charles E. Beach, Sr., to be United States Marshal for the Southern District of Iowa. Mr. Beach served as a Special Agent with the United States Secret Service from 1973 to 1999. After his retirement, he was a contract investigator with the Secret Service from 2000 to 2001. A former member of the U.S. Army, he is a graduate of American University.

The President intends to nominate John William Blaney to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Liberia. A senior member of the U.S. Foreign Service, Blaney is currently Deputy Chief of Mission in South Africa. From 1995 to 1999, he was the Director for Southern African Affairs at the Department of State. His past assignments include service as the U.S. Deputy Representative on the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, Chairperson for the study of the successor states to the Soviet Union at the Foreign Service Institute, and Minister-Counselor for Economic Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. Blaney is a graduate of Syracuse University and the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.

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