President Barack Obama named former California utility executive John Bryson as his choice for commerce secretary, drawing on Bryson’s business expertise for a job that is central to the administration’s goal of doubling U.S. exports, Bloomberg reported.
Bryson was the former CEO of Edison International, owner of California’s largest electric utility, since 1990, before retiring in 2008. He would replace current Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, who is becoming U.S. ambassador to China.
Since September Bryson has been chairman of BrightSource Energy Inc., an Oakland, Calif.-based developer of solar power plants, Bloomberg said.
The nomination, which is subject to Senate confirmation, was backed by business groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
“With his extensive knowledge of the private sector and years of experience successfully running a major company, we hope Mr. Bryson will be a strong voice for American businesses,” Chamber President Thomas Donohue said in a statement.
The Business Roundtable, whose members include the chief executives of the nation’s largest corporations, also said it supported the nomination, Bloomberg reported.
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said he and his GOP colleagues were standing by a previous threat to hold up the pick until administration submits pending free-trade deals with South Korea, Panama and Colombia to the Senate for approval, Bloomberg reported.
