The Office of the United States Trade Representative

USTR Portman Praises President’s Nomination of Deputy US Trade Representative
10/07/2005

WASHINGTON - United States Trade Representative Rob Portman today applauded President George W. Bush’s nomination of Susan C. Schwab to be Deputy United States Trade Representative. Dr. Schwab, with extensive experience in trade policy both in the government and in the private sector, most recently was President and CEO of the University System of Maryland Foundation.

“Susan Schwab is a tremendous leader and widely recognized as a trade expert,” said Portman.  “With her wealth of experience and her very high regard for public service, Susan will be a great asset in developing and implementing the President’s trade agenda to help open foreign markets to U.S. exports and level the playing field. I am grateful that once confirmed by the Senate, she will join me at USTR in this senior post.”

Dr. Schwab began her career as an agricultural trade negotiator at USTR in 1977.  In the past 25 years, she has worked at the US Embassy in Tokyo; for Senator John Danforth (R-MO) when he chaired the Finance Subcommittee on International Trade; as Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the US & Foreign Commercial Service in the Administration of George Bush; and as Director of Corporate Business Development for Motorola Inc.  Between 1995 and 2004, when she assumed the Presidency of the USM Foundation, she served as Dean of the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Dr. Schwab received her Bachelor’s degree in political economy from Williams College and a Master’s degree in Development Policy from Stanford University.  She earned her Ph.D. at the George Washington University School of Business and Public Management.

Her book, entitled Trade Offs: Negotiating the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act, was published in 1994 by Harvard Business School Press.

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