Appointment of William Henkel as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Presidential Advance

The President today announced his intention to appoint William Henkel to be Special Assistant to the President and Director of Presidential Advance. He will succeed Stephen Studalert, who will serve as a consultant to the White House and to the Republican National Committee.

Since 1981 Mr. Henkel has been a corporate financial services marketing representative for the Merrill Lynch White Weld Capital Markets Group in New York City. He was manager of corporate financial services for the Capital Markets Group between 1977 and 1981. He served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Operations in 1975-1977.

Mr. Henkel served previously in the White House in several related positions. In 1970 he joined the White House staff as a Staff Assistant to the President, serving as a Presidential Advance Representative. In November 1972 he was named Director of the White House Advance Office. He was appointed Special Assistant to the President and Director of Advance in 1973, and served in that position until January 1975.

From 1965 to 1970, Mr. Henkel served as an account executive in a Merrill Lynch New York City branch office. He joined Merrill Lynch in 1963 as a junior executive trainee.

During the 1980 Presidential campaign, Mr. Henkel served as an advance representative of Ronald Reagan, and in 1982 he coordinated logistical arrangements for the President's participation in the economic summit at Versailles Palace.

Mr. Henkel graduated from St. Lawrence University (B.S., 1963). He is married to the former Alice O'Brien, has six children, and resides in Arlington, Va. He was born June 19, 1941.