The outgoing chairman of the federal bank deposit insurance fund has appointed two long-time agency staff members to senior positions, one as a deputy to her – even though she’s leaving in a month.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) Tuesday said Nikita Pearson was to serve as deputy to FDIC Chairman Jelena McWilliams for external affairs and that Dan Bendler was tapped to be director of the FDIC’s Division of Administration.
The agency said that Pearson, with the agency for more than 22 years, is a commissioned bank examiner who has also served as an executive on the supervision side. She was named director of the agency’s Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI) early last year. She will continue to lead OMWI, the FDIC said, but will also manage the agency’s broader engagement mission by overseeing its Office of Communications and Office of the Ombudsman.
Bendler, the agency said, has served for more than 20 years in the agency’s Office of Administration. He most recently served as chief of staff to the FDIC chief operating officer, where the agency said he helped to lead agency operational response to the pandemic and strategic efforts in the design and construction of new FDIC facilities to support a hybrid workforce.
In its press release, the FDIC noted that McWilliams appointed the pair to their positions. However, the release also pointed out that “last week, the Board of Directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) approved the selection” of the two agency veterans to their new roles.
McWilliams, in a letter to President Joe Biden (D) dated and publicly released Dec. 31, resigned her position as FDIC Chairman, effective Feb. 4. She has held that position since she was confirmed by the Senate in May 2018; President Donald Trump (R ) nominated her in December 2017.