President Obama has designated Irving A. Williamson, a Democrat from New York, as chairman of the U.S. International Trade Commission for a term June 17, 2012 to June 16, 2014.
Williamson was nominated to the ITC by President George W. Bush on Sept. 7, 2006; re-nominated on Jan. 9, 2007; and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Feb. 1, 2007. He was sworn in as a member of the commission on Feb. 7, 2007 for a term expiring on June 16, 2014. Obama designated him vice chairman for the term ending June 16, 2012.
He has more than 40 years of experience in the international and trade policy fields. Prior to his appointment, he was for seven years president of Williamson International Trade Strategies, a New York-based consulting firm.
From 1993 to 1998, Williamson was deputy general counsel in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Following his USTR service, he was vice president for trade, investment, and economic development programs at the Africa-America Institute in New York, and from 1985 to 1993, he was the manager of trade policy for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Prior to that, he served for 18 years as a foreign service officer with the U.S. State Department.
The ITC is an independent, nonpartisan, quasi-judicial federal agency that provides trade expertise to both the legislative and executive branches of government, determines the impact of imports on U.S. industries, and directs actions against certain unfair trade practices, such as patent, trademark, and copyright infringement.
Williamson appointed ITC chairman
