Bush picks former OMB controller to head OPM

President Bush on Friday tapped Linda M. Springer, the former Office of Management and Budget controller, to head the Office of Personnel Management.

If confirmed, Springer, who also was chairwoman of the Chief Financial Officers Council, would oversee the management of government retirement and benefits programs and lead the administration on human resource issues. At OMB, Springer led efforts to strengthen internal controls to build a reliable foundation for financial reporting. She oversaw the shift in financial systems control from the Treasury Department's Joint Financial Management Improvement Program to OMB, and pushed agencies to receive clean financial audits and meet financial reports deadlines.

Springer left the OMB post on Jan. 25.

Prior to Springer's government work, she was the senior vice president and controller of Provident Mutual Life Insurance Co. A graduate of Ursinus College outside Philadelphia, Springer also served as Penn Mutual Life Insurance Co.'s vice president and product manager.

Clay Johnson, OMB deputy director for management, said in a statement that Springer has demonstrated that she can achieve results through her work in the private sector and as OMB's controller.

"Linda Springer has extensive knowledge of modern personnel practices and has proven that she can work well with Congress," Johnson said. "These will be assets as she works with Congress and agencies, as well as federal employees and the unions that represent them, to better recruit, motivate and retain quality federal workers."

The National Treasury Employees Union said in a statement that they look forward to hearing Springer's views on personnel rules, employee rights, retirement benefits and federal employee and retiree health care issues.

American Federation of Government Employees spokeswoman Enid Doggett said they want to look closely at Springer's record and past experience.

"We hope we can have the same collegial relationship we had with her predecessor," Doggett said, referring to former director Kay Coles James, who stepped down at the end of January.