Department of the Interior Nomination of Thomas W. Fredericks To Be an Assistant Secretary.

The President today announced that he will nominate Thomas W. Fredericks, of Boulder, Colo., to be Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs. He would replace Forrest J. Gerard, who has resigned.

Fredericks has been chief executive officer and a practicing attorney with the Boulder firm of Thomas W. Fredericks & Associates since 1979.

He was born March 9, 1943, in Elbowoods, N. Dak. He received a B.S. from Minot State College in 1965 and a J.D. from the University of Colorado School of Law in 1972.

From 1965 to 1966, Fredericks was a high school mathematics and physical education teacher. In 1970 he was organizer and part owner of the Native American Technical Assistance Corp., a management consulting firm. From 1972 to 1977, be was director of the Native American Rights Fund and from 1977 to 1979, he was Associate Solicitor for Indian Affairs at the Interior Department.

Fredericks is former president of the American Indian Lawyers Association.