Appointment of Edward J. Rollins, Jr., as Assistant to the President for Political Affairs

The President today announced his intention to appoint Edward J. Rollins, Jr., to be Assistant to the President for Political Affairs. He would succeed Franklyn C. "Lyn" Nofziger, who is resigning.

Mr. Rollins was appointed Deputy Assistant to the President for Political Affairs on January 21, 1981. Previously he served as the Republican staff director for the California State Legislature. He also served as the principal staff assistant to the Speaker of the California Assembly, in addition to other legislative staff positions.

Mr. Rollins has been involved in managing many legislative and congressional races in California and other Western States. During the second Nixon and the Ford administrations, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional Affairs, and as a special assistant in the Office of the Secretary at the Department of Transportation.

He has received undergraduate and graduate degrees from the California State University system in political science and public administration. He has also held teaching and administrative positions at California State University (Chico) and Washington University (St. Louis, Mo.). He also served as dean of the faculty and deputy superintendent at the National Fire Academy in Washington.

Mr. Rollins was born March 19, 1943, in Boston, Mass. He resides in Alexandria, Va.