THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 11, 2012

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts WASHINGTON, DC Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate th e following individuals to key Administration posts: Thomas Hart Armbruster Ambassador to the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Depart te David Bruce Wharton Ambassador to the Republic of Zimbabwe, Department of State The President also announced his intent to appoint the following individual to a key Administration post: William J. Shaw Member, United States Commission on International Religious Freed President Obamasaid, Our nation will be greatly served by the talent and expertise these individuals bring to their new roles. I am grateful they have agreed to se rve in this Administration, and I look forward to working with them in the month s and years ahead. President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to ke y Administration posts: Thomas Hart Armbruster, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of the Marshall I slands, Department of State Thomas Hart Armbruster, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Counselor, currently serves as a Diplomat-in-Residence at City College in New Yo rk. Previously, from 2007 to 2010, he was the Consul General at the U.S. Consulat e General in Vladivostok, Russia. From 2004 to 2006, he was Deputy Chief of Missi on at the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Other overseas assignments includ e:Principal Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico (2000-2 003); Political Affairs Officer (1999-2000) and Nuclear Affairs Officer (1997-19 99) at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia; and Vice Consul at the U.S. Interests Section in Havana, Cuba (1991-1993). Prior to joining the Foreign Service, he wa s a reporter for the CBS affiliate KGMB-TV in Hawaii. Mr. Armbruster holds a B.A. from McDaniel College, an M.A. from St. Marys University, and an M.S. from the N aval War College. David Bruce Wharton, Nominee for Ambassador to the Republic of Zimbabwe, Departm ent of State David Bruce Wharton, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Min ister-Counselor, is currently Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Diplomacy in the Bureau of African Affairs at the Department of State. He joined the Bureau o f African Affairs in 2009 as Director of the Office of Public Diplomacy and Publ ic Affairs, after a two-year assignment as Deputy Coordinator of the Department of States Bureau of International Information Programs. From 2006 to 2007, he serv ed in the Departments Bureau of Human Resources and from 2003 to 2006, he was Dep uty Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala. A member of the Foreign Se rvice since 1985, Mr. Whartons additional overseas assignments include posts in A rgentina, Chile, Bolivia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. He received a B.A. from the University of Texas in Austin. President Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individual to a ke y Administration post:

The Reverend William J. Shaw, Appointee for Member, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom The Reverend William J. Shawhas served as Pastor of the White Rock Baptist Church in Philadelphia since 1956.He is a Member of the United States Commission on Inte rnational Religious Freedom, having been appointed by President Obama in June 20 10.Reverend Shaw served as President of the National Baptist Convention, USA Inc. from 1999 to 2009. He currently sits on the Board of the Hospital of the Universit y of Pennsylvania and has served as President of The Baptist Ministers Conference of Philadelphia and Vicinity, The Metropolitan Christian Council of Philadelphi a, and the Union Theological Seminary National Alumni Association. From 1981 thro ugh 1994, he served as Director of the Ministers Division of the National Congres s of Christian Education. Reverend Shawhas been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Unitas Award, given by the Alumni Association of the Union Theolog ical Seminary and the T. B. Maston Foundation Christian Ethics Award from the So uthwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.Reverend Shaw has a B.A. from Bishop Colle ge, an M.A. from Union Theological Seminary, and a D.Min. from Colgate Rochester Divinity School. ### ----Unsubscribe The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington DC 20500 202-456-1111