Comings and Goings: Peace Corps chief packs it in

Every Monday on GovExec.com, Comings and Goings announces the arrivals and departures of top federal managers and executives. To submit an announcement, e-mail it to ksaldarini@govexec.com or fax it to 202-739-8511.

Mark D. Gearan, the director of the Peace Corps, is trading in government for academia. Gearan, who has served in his current position for four years, is leaving to become Hobart & William Smith, a small liberal arts college in New York. Gearan also served as deputy chief of staff and communications director to President Clinton during his first term.

The Vice Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Alice M. Rivlin, has decided to step down. Rivlin has served in her position since 1996. Prior to that, she was director of the Office of Management and Budget. Rivlin is retiring to spend more time with her family and to concentrate her efforts on the D.C. Financial Control Board, where she serves as chairman.

President Clinton last week announced the recess appointment of James C. Hormel to serve as ambassador to Luxembourg. Clinton first nominated Hormel, who is openly gay, to the position in October 1997, but the appointment ran into opposition on Capitol Hill. Hormel was renominated in January of this year. Hormel currently serves as chairman of Equidex Inc. and recently completed his term as a member of the U.S. delegation to the 51st United Nations general assembly.

President Clinton has nominated F. Whitten Peters to be secretary of the Air Force. Peters is currently the acting secretary. If confirmed, Peters will be in charge of the Air Force's 380,000 active duty and 115,000 civilian personnel. Peters was named undersecretary in 1997. Prior to that post, he was principal general counsel for the Defense Department.

A new position at the U.S. Customs Service has recently been filled. Dr. Marjorie L. Budd will be the first assistant commissioner for training. In her new role, Budd will be responsible for all levels and types of training activities at Customs. Budd, a 22-year federal veteran, last worked at the Federal Aviation Administration as head of workforce planning and development.

Michael S. Coughlin, deputy postmaster general, is retiring in July. Coughlin has served the Postal Service for 32 years and has been in his current position for 12 years. Couglin is taking a consulting position with Computer Sciences Corp.

Software giant American Management Systems has recruited two top civil servants to help launch a new practice dedicated to serving Defense Department clients. Roger W. Scearce, deputy director of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, will become vice president for AMS's DoD Financial Enterprise Solutions practice. Rosanne Beckerle, a program director for paperless contracting at DoD, will be senior principal in charge of strengthening e-commerce efforts at AMS.

Gregory Withee has been promoted to assistant administrator for satellite and information services at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Withee formerly served as deputy assistant administrator at the satellite service for five years. NOAA's satellite service operates weather satellites that maintain environmental data used by scientists worldwide.

Forest Service Chief Mike Dombeck has recently announced several new appointments. James R. Furnish has been selected to be deputy chief for the national forest system, making him responsible for all forest interests and for ensuring the sustainability of National Forest System lands. Dombeck also announced the appointment of Janice McDougle as deputy chief for state and private forestry. McDougle has more than 29 years of government service. She formerly served as associate deputy chief of the state and private forestry office. Hilda Diaz-Soltero, a 20-year civil service veteran, has also been promoted, to associate chief for natural resources.

Charles Laughlin has been named the new administrator of the Agriculture Department's Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service. Laughlin comes to USDA from the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawaii-Manoa, where he served as dean and director. He begins his new position on July 5.