FDA associate commissioner for public affairs
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Burson-Marsteller Senior VP-Media Relations James O'Hara III is slated to head FDA's Office of Public Affairs. Apparently, the appointment still needs to be approved. O'Hara had been at Burson- Marsteller since 1990, where he also served as VP-media relations. Prior to joining the public relations firm, he held several writing positions at The Tennessean. O'Hara will be replacing Gary Fendler, a Bush Administration political appointee, who left the agency to join the private sector. Since Fendler left, Donald McLearn, deputy associate commissioner, has served as the acting associate commissioner and Lawrence Bachorik, director of the speechwriting staff, has been the acting deputy associate commissioner.