U.S. Senate confirms Albert Jacquez as St. Lawrence Seaway administrator
 

Last summer, the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment of Albert S. Jacquez (LBJ Class of 1986) as the eighth administrator of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC). He had been appointed by President Bill Clinton and sworn into office by U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater in January 1999.

Jacquez, who will serve as SLSDC administrator for a seven-year term, heads the U.S. agency that is responsible for operating and maintaining the St. Lawrence Seaway in cooperation with Canada. The agency also oversees the development of international trade throughout the Great Lakes Seaway System.

Jacquez has over 16 years of international trade, finance, and transportation policy experience. As chief of staff for U.S. Representative Esteban E. Torres of California, he provided oversight and guidance for all Appropriations Committee work, including the Transportation and Foreign Operations and Export Financing Subcommittees.

During congressional consideration of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), he developed the legislative strategy and negotiated the substantive provisions of the North American Development Bank (NADBank)--a binational institution that finances environmental infrastructure and provides economic development assistance and investment to communities that suffer lost jobs related to trade. NADBank has a capital base of $3 billion.

Jacquez first served on Representative Torres's staff from 1983 to 1988 as senior legislative director. From 1988-90, he was president and CEO of the Latin American Management Association, a Hispanic business trade group. Afterwards, he served two years as staff director of the House Banking Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs and Coinage, until he was named Representative Torres' chief of staff in 1993.

Jacquez has been listed among "The Top 100 Influential Hispanics" by Hispanic Business Magazine, and he was named one of "The 50 Most Influential Men in Washington" by the American Banker. He has also been a Stennis Congressional Staff Fellow, which honors senior congressional staff for outstanding leadership and commitment to public service.

Comments to lbjwmast@uts.cc.utexas.edu