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President Biden Announces Key Appointments to Boards and Commissions

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President Joe Biden announces a ban on Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia's economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine, Tuesday, March 8, 2022, in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

WASHINGTON – Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to serve in key roles:

  • Troy Coronado, to be a Member of the Board of Visitors to the U.S. Military Academy
  • Manuel A. Chinea, to be a Member of the Community Development Advisory Board
  • Janie Simms Hipp, to be a Member of the Community Development Advisory Board
  • Mark Alan Kaufman, to be a Member of the Community Development Advisory Board
  • Susan Chapman Plumb, to be a Member of the Community Development Advisory Board
  • Damon Y. Smith, to be a Member of the Council of the Administrative Conference of the United States
  • Justin Driver, to be a Member of the Permanent Committee for the Oliver Wendell Holmes Devise
  • Kamanaopono M. Crabbe, to be a Commissioner of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders
  • Sameera Fazili, to be a Commissioner of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders
  • Krystal Ka‘ai, to be a Commissioner of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders
  • Vida Lin, to be a Commissioner of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders
  • Emmanuel Jenkins, to be a Member of the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities
  • Charles P. Riley, to be a Member of the Route 66 Centennial Commission
Additionally, President Biden announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to serve as members of boards and commissions that, based on statute or longstanding practice, include candidates recommended by Congressional Republican leadership.
  • Edgar Gluck, to be a Member of the Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad
  • Andrew G. Biggs, to be a Member of the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico
  • Cameron McKenzie, to be a Member of the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico
  • John Earl Nixon, to be a Member of the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico

The Board of Visitors to the U.S. Military Academy

The Board of Visitors to the U.S. Military Academy provides independent advice and recommendations to the President on matters related to morale, discipline, curriculum, instruction, physical equipment, fiscal affairs, academic methods, and any other matters relating to the Academy that the Board decides to consider. The Board consists of six members appointed by the President for terms of three years.

Troy Coronado, to be a Member of the Board of Visitors to the U.S. Military Academy

Troy Coronado, rising from the rank of private to colonel, has 30 years of distinguished military service in the U.S. Army. In 1987, he enlisted in the Infantry at Fort Benning, Georgia. While working as a drill corporal, he was selected to attend the Officer Candidate School, and upon graduation, was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Armor Branch. His first assignment was platoon leader in Schweinfurt, Germany.

In 2006, Coronado completed a combat tour in Afghanistan, working as an embedded team trainer, as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. Following his return to the U.S., his assignments included the Pentagon, Fort Knox, Kentucky, and the National Guard Bureau Joint Staff. In 2014, he returned to Afghanistan as the Joint Command Inspector General. From there he was assigned to the Warrior Transition Brigade at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland until his retirement in 2017.

Coronado’s military awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation, Army Commendation, Army Achievement, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, NATO Medal, and the Combat Action Badge. He is a member of the Army Infantry Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame and a recipient of the American Latino Veterans Association Valor Award. Coronado and his wife, Lisa, have been married for 35 years and have three daughters and two grandchildren. He now lives back in his hometown of San Antonio, Texas.

Community Development Advisory Board, Department of the Treasury

The Community Development Advisory Board serves to advise the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund within the Department of the Treasury. The Community Development Advisory Board’s mission is to promote access to capital to underserved communities. The CDFI Fund, in partnership with the Board, partners with and invests in local lenders and financial service providers around the country. Since inception, the CDFI Fund has awarded more than $5.2 billion dollars to its partners.

Manuel A. Chinea, to be a Member of the Community Development Advisory Board

Manuel Chinea is the Chief Operating Officer of Popular Bank, a leading financial institution with operations in Puerto Rico, the mainland U.S. and the Virgin Islands. Prior to joining Popular Bank, Chinea served as Executive Vice President and Chief for Retail Operations at Certus Bank. For over two decades, Chinea has been an active member and officer of several marketing, credit, treasury management and nonprofit organizations. Chinea has been an active leader in the treasury management and nonprofit space, as he currently serves as a board member of Junior Achievement of New York and is a current Treasurer and former board Chair of the Hispanic Federation. Chinea holds a B.S. in finance from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business and an MBA from the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business.

Janie Simms Hipp, to be a Member of the Community Development Advisory Board

Janie Hipp is the President and CEO of Native Agriculture Financial Services, a lending institution focused on economic development for tribal communities. Prior to this, Hipp was nominated by President Biden and confirmed by the Senate to serve as the General Counsel of the Department of Agriculture. She is the first enrolled tribal citizen to hold that role, as a member of the Chickasaw Nation. Hipp has worked in agricultural law and economic development for nearly 40 years, including serving as the CEO of the Native American Agriculture Fund and as a senior advisor to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and Director of the USDA Office of Tribal Relations. Hipp holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in social work from the University of Oklahoma, a J.D. from Oklahoma City University’s School of Law and a LLM in agricultural law from the University of Arkansas School of Law.

Mark Alan Kaufman, to be a Member of the Community Development Advisory Board

Mark Kaufman is the President of the Neighborhood Impact Investment Fund, a community development financial institution dedicated to investing in inclusive growth for historically undercapitalized areas of Baltimore, MD. Kaufman has nearly 40 years of experience in government and the private sector working on community finance and development. His public service includes his tenure as Counselor to Treasury Deputy Secretary Sarah Bloom Raskin in the Obama-Biden Administration and as Commissioner of the Maryland Division of Financial Regulation. In the private sector, he served as the President of City First Bank, a DC-based community development financial institution, and as Managing Director of Investment Banking at CIBC World Markets. Kaufman holds a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from Brown University, as well as a MPA and MBA from Columbia University.

Susan Chapman Plumb, to be a Member of the Community Development Advisory Board

Susan Chapman Plumb is the CEO and board chair of Local Bank and is a board member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Local Bank, previously known as the Bank of Cherokee County, was one of the first Native-owned CDFIs certified by the Treasury Department. Plumb began her career as an attorney, and has since worked in banking in Cherokee County for the last 20 years. Plumb is active in her community, serving on the boards of the Tahlequah Hospital Foundation and the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. She holds a B.A. in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and a J.D. from the University of Tulsa.

Council of the Administrative Conference of the United States

The Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) is an independent federal agency charged with convening expert representatives from the public and private sectors to recommend improvements to administrative process and procedure. ACUS initiatives promote efficiency, participation, and fairness in the promulgation of federal regulations and in the administration of federal programs. The 10-member ACUS Council is composed of government officials and private citizens.

Damon Y. Smith, to be a Member of the Council of the Administrative Conference of the United States

Damon Y. Smith serves as the General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). As General Counsel, Smith is responsible for leading the agency’s litigation and enforcement efforts, serving as the Designated Agency Ethics Official, and assisting the Secretary in the development of HUD programs and policies. Smith joined the Biden-Harris Administration as Principal Deputy General Counsel. Prior to that, he was Senior Director of Advocacy and Counsel at the Credit Union National Association and a Partner at Jenner and Block LLP in Washington, D.C. where he provided counsel to companies facing complex compliance, government regulation, and enforcement matters.

Smith previously served as Principal Deputy and Acting General Counsel at HUD during the Obama-Biden Administration. Before his government service, he taught property and local government law as an Associate Professor at Rutgers-Camden Law School and a Visiting Professor at the American University Washington College of Law. He began his legal career as a real estate Associate at Arnold & Porter in Washington, D.C. and worked prior to law school as an urban planner in East St. Louis, Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri. Smith is a graduate of Harvard Law School and holds a B.A. in English and a master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Permanent Committee for the Oliver Wendell Holmes Devise

The Permanent Committee for the Oliver Wendell Holmes Devise was established by Congress in 1955 after the late Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. bequeathed a portion of his estate to the United States in 1935. Congress used the gift to establish the Committee, which is charged with documenting and disseminating the history of the United States Supreme Court. The Committee’s principal purpose is to continue to publish the multi-volume work documenting the history of the Court. The Committee is composed of the Librarian of Congress and four additional members appointed by the President.

Justin Driver, to be a Member of the Permanent Committee for the Oliver Wendell Holmes Devise

Justin Driver is the Robert R. Slaughter Professor of Law at Yale Law School, where he primarily teaches and writes in the fields of constitutional law, constitutional theory, and education law. He is the author of The Schoolhouse Gate: Public Education, the Supreme Court, and the Battle for the American Mind, which was selected as a Washington Post Notable Book of the Year and an Editors’ Choice of The New York Times Book Review. The Schoolhouse Gate also received the Steven S. Goldberg Award for Distinguished Scholarship in Education Law, and was a finalist for the American Bar Association’s Silver Gavel Award and Phi Beta Kappa’s Ralph Waldo Emerson Book Award. A recipient of the American Society for Legal History’s William Nelson Cromwell Article Prize, Driver is an elected member of the American Law Institute and of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. In 2021, President Biden appointed Driver to serve on the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States. He is a graduate of Brown, Oxford, Duke, and Harvard Law School. After graduating from Harvard, Driver clerked for Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (Ret.) and Justice Stephen Breyer (Ret.).

President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders

The President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders advises the President on ways the public, private, and non-profit sectors can work together to advance equity and opportunity for every Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community. The Commission is also charged with advising the President on policies to address anti-Asian xenophobia and violence, ways to build capacity in AANHPI communities through federal grantmaking, and policies to address the intersectional barriers that AANHPI women, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities face. The Commission includes civic leaders from across the country and reflects the rich diversity of AANHPI communities across the United States. The Commission consists of 25 members appointed by the President.

Kamanaopono M. Crabbe, to be a Commissioner of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders

Dr. Kamana‘opono M. Crabbe serves as a seasoned spokesperson and representative for the Native Hawaiian community on Native Hawaiian rights, social inequities, community health and resilience, and current social, cultural, educational, economic, and political issues affecting Native Hawaiians, Hawai‘i, and the Pacific. He sits on several high-level policy and governing boards, including the Hawai‘i Executive Collaborative Leadership Committee and the Asian American Foundation Advisory Council.

In 2010, he joined the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) as its Research Director, and was appointed as Chief Executive Officer in March 2012. As OHA’s Ka Pouhana, the main post of the hale, he grounded the organization in Kūkulu Hou – his vision to reestablish and rebuild the mana of kānaka maoli, Native Hawaiians. He later served as the Ka Pouhana-CEO for the Kohala Institute at ‘Iole, where he led the organization on a new vision to “be a world leader in sustainable thinking through a model 21st century ahupua‘a, where land is chief, and man is steward.”

Currently, Crabbe serves as the Executive Counselor for the Asian Pacific Islander Health Forum, a national health policy advocacy organization based out of Washington, D.C. and San Francisco, California. He also serves as a Senior Executive for the Hawai‘i Executive Collaborative and is the Project Lead-Executive for the Rediscovering Hawai‘i’s Soul initiative.

Crabbe has received numerous cultural distinctions and formal awards recognizing his executive leadership and accomplishments. He serves his community as a ho‘oponopono practitioner, skilled chanter and orator, and ‘aha ‘awa ceremony and protocol expert. In 2006, he established the non-profit organization, ‘Aha Kāne: Foundation for the Advancement of Native Hawaiian Males. He earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and served countless families, youth, and communities as a licensed clinical psychologist for over 12 years.

Sameera Fazili, to be a Commissioner of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders

Sameera Fazili is an economic policy expert with over 20 years of leadership experience across the public, private, and non-profit sectors. She previously served as Deputy Assistant to President Biden and Deputy Director of the White House’s National Economic Council. In that role, she led the Administration’s work on industrial policy, supply chains, and regional economic development, including the response to numerous supply chain crises. She currently runs her own advisory business, focused on clean energy transition, global supply chain resilience, and economic equity issues, and is a senior fellow in industrial policy and trade at the Roosevelt Institute. She serves on the boards of Asian Americans Advancing Justice Atlanta, the Paideia School, and the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, and was previously a board member with the Inner-City Muslim Action Network, helping launch their Atlanta, Georgia office. Her career has included work at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and Yale Law School, where she helped launch Connecticut’s first community development bank. A graduate of Yale Law School and Harvard College, she lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Krystal Ka‘ai, to be a Commissioner of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders

Krystal Ka‘ai is a dedicated public servant with over 14 years of experience working to advance equity for underserved communities. In 2021, she was appointed by President Biden as the first Native Hawaiian in history to serve as the Executive Director of the White House Initiative and the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. In this role, she oversees the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government strategy to advance equity, justice, and opportunity for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) communities, including coordinating interagency policy development and external outreach to local, state, and federal stakeholders across the country. Prior to joining the Administration, she served as the Executive Director of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), a bicameral caucus comprised of over 80 Members of Congress who advocate for the needs and concerns of AA and NHPI communities at the federal level. Her public service career also includes prior roles with the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, the State of Hawai‘i Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation.

Vida Lin, to be a Commissioner of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders

Vida Lin has dedicated 30 years to empowering Nevada’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community by taking decisive action where she saw the greatest need. As the Founder and President of the Asian Community Development Council, Lin transformed her vision into reality by establishing Nevada’s first Asian food pantry, hosting vaccination clinics, offering free citizenship assistance, and opening the Healthy Asians and Pacific Islanders (HAPI) Medical Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Lin’s journey began in San Francisco, California where she ran a small family business and later transitioned to the insurance industry to protect families after a personal tragedy. During her successful 20-year career as an insurance broker, Lin’s passion for helping the underserved drove her to advise and serve as a board member for numerous charities and causes. Her unwavering commitment to civic engagement and advocacy was recognized with the Bank of America “Neighborhood Builders: Racial Equality Award” in 2022, and the City of Las Vegas honored her with “Vida Lin Day” on January 18, 2023. Lin’s legacy is defined by her relentless pursuit of uplifting and empowering the next generation of leaders.

President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities

The President’s Committee on People with Intellectual Disabilities serves as a federal advisor to the President and the Secretary of Health and Human Services on matters relating to persons with intellectual disabilities. The Committee has 21 members who serve two-year terms. Individuals appointed to this Committee reflect the diversity of America and include people with intellectual disabilities and their family members, researchers, service providers and other professionals, community and business representatives, and systems advocates.

Emmanuel Jenkins, to be a Member of the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities

Emmanuel Jenkins, the driving force behind the non-profit We Stand 4 Something, is a beacon of support for individuals with disabilities and their families, spreading positivity and hope. In Delaware, he serves as the Community Relations Officer for the Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council and serves as the Chair of the Delaware Employment First Oversight Commission and Vice Chair of the Delaware Developmental Disabilities Services Advisory Committee. An alumnus of the Partners in Policymaking program since 2014, Jenkins’ unwavering dedication to advocacy is further evidenced by his recent roles on the Advisory Committee for the Self-Advocacy Resource and Technical Assistance Center and as Chair of the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) Self-Advocacy Committee. He also serves on the NACDD Board and chairs its communications working group. In academia, Jenkins is a distinguished Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) Faculty Member at the University of Delaware. Jenkins has been married since 2009 and is father to an 18-year-old. With over two decades as a motivational speaker, Emmanuel envisions a future where his tireless advocacy can reach new heights, embodying resilience, determination, and the belief in standing for something greater.

Route 66 Centennial Commission

The Route 66 Centennial Commission was established by Congress in 2020 to study and make recommendations on activities that would be fitting and proper to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Mother Road of the United States, Route 66, in 2026. The Commission studies activities including potential ceremonies and celebrations, the production and publication of media or other materials, and the issuance of commemorative items.

Charles P. Riley, to be a Member of the Route 66 Centennial Commission

Charles P. Riley is a citizen of the Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico and has a made public service his career. He served the Pueblo as a Tribal Council member for 13 years and as a Tribal Sheriff for one year. Riley holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of New Mexico and worked for private engineering and surveying firms for 10 years, before joining the Bureau of Indian Affairs. At the Bureau of Indian Affairs, he held the positions of Regional Road Engineer, Designated Engineer, and Mescalero Agency Superintendent. Riley ended his government career working for the Bureau of Indian Education. He retired from public service after 25 years and is currently working for the Pueblo as the Director of Community Development.

As the Director of Community Development, Riley oversees the planning, design, and construction of roads on Pueblo of Acoma lands. His office has been awarded grants to plan and design 13 miles of roads and three bridges. His office is currently helping other departments with the development of a new Education Resource Center and Senior Center complex. The Pueblo’s future projects include a reservation-wide pedestrian/bike trail system, and the designation of a Tribal Scenic Byway that will lead to the historic Acoma village known as “Sky City,” that will begin and end on historic Route 66.

Riley has been married for 39 years, and has three daughters and four grandchildren

Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad

The Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad was established in 1985 to ensure that sites important to populations impacted by Nazism, communism, and the Cold War would be preserved for future generations. The Commission’s mission is to identify, protect, and preserve cemeteries, monuments, and historic buildings in Eastern and Central Europe that are associated with U.S. heritage. The work recognizes that the population of the United States is mostly comprised of immigrants and their descendants, and that the United States has an interest in the preservation of sites in other countries related to the heritage of these Americans.

Edgar Gluck, to be a Member of the Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad

Rabbi Edgar Gluck was born in Hamburg, Germany on June 14th, 1936. A Holocaust survivor, he immigrated to the U.S. at the age of two. He attended the Chasan Sofer Rabbinical Academy and Beth Medrash Elyon Academy of higher studies and research where he earned an Advanced Rabbinical Degree of “Rabbi and Judge.” One of his areas of post-rabbinical specialization has been the identity and dignity of the dead, and he has worked tirelessly to identify and restore grave sites and reclaim cemeteries and areas of mass graves worldwide for the last six decades. Gluck has also been active with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in the city of New York, where he currently holds the position of Chaplain to the Chief Medical Examiner.

In 1971, he co-founded Hatzoloh, the largest volunteer ambulance corps in the country. Gluck is Chairman of the in-patient Board of Maimonides Medical Center, one of the largest metropolitan hospitals in New York City, and has been appointed as Chief Rabbi of Galicia, Poland. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan awarded him with a Commendation for his Exemplary Community Service and he continues to serve the needs of the community, both in the U.S. and abroad.

Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico

The Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico was created under the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Act of 2016. The Board consists of seven members appointed by the President and one ex officio member designated by the Governor of Puerto Rico. The Board is tasked with working with the people and Government of Puerto Rico to create the necessary foundation for economic growth and to restore opportunity to the people of Puerto Rico.

Andrew G. Biggs, to be a Member of the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico

Andrew G. Biggs is a Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Biggs previously was the Principal Deputy Commissioner of the Social Security Administration and in 2005 served as an Associate Director of the White House National Economic Council. In 2013, the Society of Actuaries appointed Biggs Co-Vice Chair of its Blue Ribbon Panel on Public Pension Funding. In 2016, Biggs was appointed by President Obama to the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico, to which he was reappointed by President Trump in 2020. Biggs holds a B.A. from Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland, an MSc from Cambridge University and the University of London, and a PhD from the London School of Economics.

Cameron McKenzie, to be a Member of the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico

Cameron McKenzie is an accomplished investment banker, investor, and entrepreneur with a strong background in mergers and acquisitions, capital raises, business valuation, management consulting, restructuring, and corporate financial advisory services. Over his career, he has worked on numerous transactions across industries such as energy, healthcare, and real estate.

After working for the consulting firm of former U.S. Ambassador Hans H. Hertell, McKenzie founded McKenzie & Associates in 2015. His firm provides investment banking and corporate advisory services to small and middle-market companies throughout the Americas. In addition, he is an investor in several small businesses that collectively employ over 200 people.

McKenzie’s impact extends beyond business; he served as President and Chairman of the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce from 2022 to 2023 and was appointed Honorary Consul of Japan in Puerto Rico that same year. In 2023, McKenzie became the first Puerto Rican to join the International Chamber of Commerce executive board in Paris, France. Additionally, he serves on the board of the Baldwin School of Puerto Rico and as an executive board member of Grupo 21.

McKenzie holds an MBA and a B.S. from Babson College and numerous financial certifications and regulatory licenses. Recognized as a leader in the financial sector, McKenzie has received several accolades, including being named among the “40 under 40” by the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts in 2019. McKenzie and his wife, Stephania Gonzalez, are blessed with three children: Annabel, Leonardo, and Nicholas.

John Earl Nixon, to be a Member of the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico

John Earl Nixon serves as a Senior Vice President at Acentra Health, an innovative healthcare technology company. In his role, he is focused on government relations, corporate strategy, and client management.

Nixon was Chief Administrative and Financial Officer of the University of Utah from 2014 to 2019. He served as Michigan’s Budget Director from 2011 to 2014 in Governor Rick Snyder’s Administration, where he led a department of 2,700 employees overseeing the state’s $52 billion budget, and statewide government technology and administrative functions. During his tenure, Michigan eliminated a perpetual $1.5 billion deficit, reduced the state’s long-term liabilities by $20 billion, and received a credit rating upgrade. Nixon is also the former state budget director for Utah, having served for Governors Jon Huntsman and Gary Herbert.

He is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a B.S. in Corporate Finance from Brigham Young University and an MBA with an emphasis in Information Technology from the University of Utah. Nixon was named Public Official of the Year in 2012 by Governing magazine, which cited his role in Michigan’s economic turnaround. He was also one of Government Technology Magazine’s Top 25 Doers, Dreamers, and Drivers in 2012. In 2010, he served as President of the National Association of State Budget Officers. In 2008, he was named Chief Financial Officer of the Year for the public sector by Utah Business Magazine. He lives in Bountiful, Utah with his wife, DeAnn. They have six children, two of whom are married.

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Entertainment

Chaka Khan, Q Parker to Lead Living Legends Foundation’s 35th Anniversary Gala in Atlanta

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Chaka Khan and Q Parker, honorary ambassador and honorary gala chair for the Living Legends Foundation’s 35th Anniversary Awards Dinner & Gala.
Ten-time Grammy Award winner Chaka Khan, left, will serve as honorary ambassador, while Grammy-winning singer and founding 112 member Q Parker will serve as honorary gala chair for the Living Legends Foundation’s 35th Anniversary Awards Dinner & Gala on Oct. 2, 2026, in Atlanta. Chaka Khan photo: Nick Nelson; Q Parker photo: Quadir Thomas

Milestone celebration will recognize the executives, radio personalities, entrepreneurs and cultural leaders who helped shape Black music and entertainment

ATLANTA, Ga. (FNN) — Ten-time Grammy Award winner Chaka Khan will serve as honorary ambassador and Grammy-winning singer and founding 112 member Q Parker as honorary gala chair for the Living Legends Foundation’s 35th Anniversary Awards Dinner & Gala, the organization announced.

The milestone celebration is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 2, in Atlanta and will bring together artists, music executives, radio personalities, creatives, entrepreneurs and cultural leaders to recognize the people whose work has helped shape Black music, media and entertainment.

For Khan, the role marks a return to an organization that recognized her more than three decades ago. She was among the artists honored by the Living Legends Foundation in 1992.

“When you cross a bridge, you don’t think about all the hands that built it. Some of the most important contributions are the ones we never see,” Khan said in the announcement. “Thank you, Living Legends Foundation, for seeing that every story matters and for honoring those hands and hearts that helped build the way for all of us.”

Chaka Khan Returns for Milestone Anniversary

Living Legends Foundation Chairman David C. Linton said Khan’s connection to the organization makes her participation especially significant during its 35th anniversary.

“Having Chaka Khan serve as our Honorary Ambassador during this milestone year is incredibly meaningful,” Linton said. “Chaka’s history with the Foundation reaches back to our earliest years, and her extraordinary career represents the excellence, longevity and cultural impact we have worked to celebrate for 35 years.”

Khan’s appearance also comes as she prepares for another chapter in her recording career. According to the foundation’s announcement, her new album, “Chakzilla,” is scheduled for release Sept. 18. The project, described as her first full-length album in seven years, includes collaborations with Sia, Snoop Dogg and Lenny Kravitz.

The combination of Khan’s new music and her honorary role highlights one of the gala’s central themes: connecting the legacy of Black music with the people continuing to move the industry forward.

Q Parker to Serve as Honorary Gala Chair

Joining Khan is Q Parker, a founding member of Grammy-winning R&B group 112. Parker will serve as honorary gala chair and help promote the foundation’s work recognizing and supporting music industry professionals.

“Black music has given me a career, a community, and an opportunity to use my gifts to impact people around the world, so serving as Honorary Chair for the Living Legends Foundation’s 35th anniversary is truly an honor,” Parker said.

Parker said the industry’s success extends far beyond the artists audiences see on stage.

“This organization understands that our industry is bigger than the names we see on the marquee,” Parker said. “There are countless people behind the scenes who have dedicated their lives to moving our culture forward.”

Parker recently released the single “Stare,” from his forthcoming album, “Evolution of Romance, Volume Two,” expected this fall, according to the announcement.

Honoring the People Behind Black Music and Culture

Founded in 1991, the Living Legends Foundation has built its mission around recognizing professionals whose work has helped bring Black music and culture to audiences around the world.

Beyond its annual honors, the nonprofit provides support to music industry professionals with confirmed needs and invests in future generations through mentorship, scholarships and other assistance.

The anniversary gala will continue that mission by placing executives, broadcasters, advocates, entrepreneurs and other behind-the-scenes leaders alongside some of the most recognizable figures in entertainment.

2026 Living Legends Foundation Honorees

This year’s honorees include:

  • Ray Harris Lifetime Achievement Award: Louis Carr, president of BET
  • A.D. Washington Chairman’s Award: Black Promoters Collective
  • Jerry Boulding Radio Executive Award: Kenny Smoov, vice president of urban programming, Cumulus
  • Frankie Crocker Radio Personality Award: Greg Street, air personality, V-103 Atlanta
  • Impact Player Award: Juliette Jones, COO, Alamo Records
  • Music Executive Award: Tim Reid, senior vice president, repertoire and marketing, BMG Recorded Music
  • Mike Bernardo Female Executive Award: Phylicia Fant, global director, Black Music + Culture, Amazon Music
  • Kendall Minter Entertainment Advocate Award: James McMillan, Esq., CEO, ART@WAR Entertainment
  • Hip-Hop Visionary Award: Ted Lucas, founder and CEO, Slip-N-Slide Records
  • Entrepreneur Award: Ralph McDaniels, executive producer, “Video Music Box”

Why the 35th Anniversary Matters

The anniversary reflects more than three decades of recognizing people whose contributions to Black music and entertainment have not always received the same public attention as the artists they helped build, promote and sustain.

That history is reflected in Khan’s return. After being recognized by the foundation in its early years, she will now help honor another generation of industry leaders.

The 35th Anniversary Awards Dinner & Gala will continue the Living Legends Foundation’s tradition of celebrating achievement, leadership, innovation and service while preserving the stories of the people who helped build the business and culture surrounding Black music.

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Business

DOJ, DOT and DHS Launch Nationwide Crackdown on CDL Fraud, Trucking Schools and Unqualified Drivers

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Two 18-wheelers travel along a U.S. interstate. Federal authorities have launched a multiagency initiative targeting alleged commercial driver’s license fraud, improper training and testing practices, and other suspected violations involving the trucking industry. FNN Illustration

Federal agencies say the new Joint Task Force Crossroads of America will target fraudulent CDL training and testing, identity and document fraud, unauthorized employment and suspected criminal activity across the commercial trucking industry.

DETROIT (FNN) — The Justice, Transportation and Homeland Security departments have launched a sweeping federal initiative targeting alleged fraud and public-safety violations in the commercial trucking industry, including questionable driver training, commercial driver’s license testing, identity fraud and suspected criminal activity.

Eight U.S. attorneys joined federal transportation and homeland security officials Aug. 31 to announce Joint Task Force Crossroads of America, a multistate law enforcement partnership initially bringing together U.S. attorney’s offices in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio with federal, state and local agencies.

The initiative brings together DOJ, the Department of Transportation, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and other law enforcement agencies.

Among the most immediate actions, FMCSA announced the emergency removal of more than 110 commercial driver training providers associated with more than 5,000 drivers who failed federal English-language proficiency requirements. The agency is also proposing removal of more than 160 additional training providers and launching a nationwide audit of third-party CDL skills testers.

DHS, meanwhile, announced enforcement activity involving more than 200 driving schools and related businesses across 23 states.

Federal Government Targets CDL Fraud

Federal officials say the initiative is designed to identify fraudulent training and licensing practices while determining whether trucking companies, schools, testing operations or other businesses are circumventing federal requirements.

Attorney General Todd Blanche said DOJ will work with federal, state and local partners to investigate and prosecute alleged fraud affecting highway safety.

“The safety of American roadways affects everyone across the country,” Blanche said in the federal announcement.

Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said federal transportation regulators need law enforcement support to pursue suspected fraud involving training schools and other participants in the commercial licensing system.

The government’s announcement also included broader claims by administration officials concerning immigration enforcement and highway safety. Those statements represent the administration’s characterization of the problem; the specific enforcement actions announced by FMCSA focus on compliance with federal commercial-driver training, testing and qualification requirements.

110 CDL Training Providers Face Emergency Removal

FMCSA said it examined roadside inspection records involving commercial drivers cited for failing federal English-language proficiency requirements and compared those records with its Training Provider Registry.

That analysis identified training providers that repeatedly certified drivers who subsequently failed the federal requirement, according to the agency.

FMCSA said it will emergency-remove more than 110 Entry-Level Driver Training providers from its registry. The affected providers must cease federally recognized training operations, including classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction.

The government says those schools are associated with more than 5,000 drivers who failed English-language proficiency tests.

Removal from the federal registry is an administrative action and should not, by itself, be characterized as a criminal conviction or finding of criminal fraud.

40-State Investigation Finds Training Problems

The enforcement campaign extends beyond the 110 providers.

FMCSA said it deployed 175 investigators across 40 states in July to conduct nearly 400 investigations of entry-level driver training providers.

According to the agency, investigators identified problems including instructors who lacked appropriate licenses, inadequate facilities for required driving maneuvers and missing assessment records.

One provider allegedly claimed its classroom operated from a school bus located inside the back of a trailer, according to FMCSA.

The investigations resulted in more than 160 notices of proposed removal from the federal Training Provider Registry.

FMCSA further said drivers certified by those providers have been linked to 239 commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities.

That figure warrants careful distinction: the agency’s release describes the drivers as linked to those fatalities; it does not establish from that statistic alone that training deficiencies caused each crash.

Nationwide Audit of CDL Skills Testers

Federal regulators are also turning their attention to the people and organizations administering commercial driving tests.

FMCSA announced a nationwide audit of third-party CDL skills testers and state oversight of those testers.

The agency said more than 28,000 commercial drivers have been placed out of service for English-language proficiency violations since June 2025. FMCSA argues that the number raises concerns about whether testing and state oversight are consistently enforcing federal requirements.

States found substantially out of compliance with federal CDL requirements can face corrective action and, eventually, financial consequences.

According to FMCSA, unresolved substantial noncompliance can result in withholding of federal highway funds—up to 4% initially and potentially 8% in subsequent years. Serious deficiencies can also lead toward decertification of a state’s CDL program.

DHS Targets More Than 200 Driving Schools

DHS is conducting a parallel criminal-investigation and immigration-enforcement effort.

Homeland Security Investigations said its initiative is examining suspected CDL fraud, unauthorized employment, identity-document fraud, financial crimes, money laundering and labor exploitation, along with potential connections to human smuggling, drug trafficking and cartel activity.

Those categories describe investigative targets and potential violations identified by DHS; they do not mean every school, trucking company or driver contacted by investigators has committed a crime.

According to the federal announcement, HSI planned coordinated activity involving more than 200 driving schools across 23 states and said more than 1,000 business leads had been distributed to investigators.

Field offices had also issued more than 80 notices of inspection and opened multiple investigations, according to DHS.

Investigations Include DMV Employees, Medical Certifications and Trucking Companies

Federal authorities disclosed several categories of ongoing investigations.

HSI said investigators are examining allegations that some state motor vehicle employees accepted payments to help applicants circumvent driver’s license and CDL requirements.

Other investigations involve suspected misuse of B-1/B-2 visa holders for domestic cargo transportation, potentially improper medical certifications, identity fraud and alleged labor exploitation involving visa holders.

DHS also said investigators are examining possible shell companies, financial crimes and transportation businesses potentially connected to broader criminal activity.

Because many of these matters remain investigations, allegations of misconduct have not necessarily resulted in criminal charges or convictions.

Federal Trucking Enforcement Reaches Florida

The federal initiative also includes activity in Florida.

According to the government’s announcement, DHS’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Miami Field Office coordinated an operation with the Florida Department of Transportation, FMCSA and commercial vehicle enforcement authorities during the week of Aug. 24.

Other coordinated operations were identified in Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Michigan and Wisconsin.

DHS also identified several broader enforcement initiatives involving commercial transportation, including Operation ICE Wall, Operation Guardrail and Operation Freightliner.

What It Means for Trucking Companies and CDL Schools

The initiative significantly expands federal scrutiny beyond individual commercial drivers.

Training schools could face removal from FMCSA’s registry, while third-party testers will face a nationwide audit. State licensing agencies could also come under federal review if regulators identify systemic compliance failures.

Trucking companies may face additional scrutiny involving driver qualifications, employment authorization, federal employment records and compliance with commercial vehicle regulations.

At the same time, the government’s actions distinguish between administrative enforcement and criminal prosecution. A provider’s removal from a federal training registry does not automatically establish criminal fraud, while criminal cases require prosecutors to establish violations under applicable law.

Joint Task Force Brings Multiple Agencies Together

Joint Task Force Crossroads of America combines the U.S. attorney’s offices in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio with agencies including FMCSA, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Eight U.S. attorneys participated in the announcement, representing federal districts in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois.

Federal officials say the task force’s goals include reducing highway fatalities and serious injuries, identifying criminal networks, deterring fraudulent trucking practices and improving coordination among federal, state and local authorities.

What’s Next?

FMCSA is expected to proceed with the emergency removal of the identified training providers while continuing proposed-removal proceedings involving more than 160 others.

Federal transportation officials will also conduct the nationwide examination of third-party CDL skills testers and state oversight programs.

DHS and HSI investigations into suspected licensing fraud, unauthorized employment, document fraud and related financial crimes are continuing, while the newly established DOJ task force provides a mechanism for federal prosecutors and law enforcement agencies to coordinate potential criminal cases.

The next major question will be how many of the regulatory investigations ultimately produce administrative sanctions, license actions or federal criminal charges.

For drivers, trucking companies and CDL schools, the announcement signals that federal enforcement is expanding from roadside driver inspections into the broader system responsible for training, testing, licensing and employing commercial drivers.

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Amazon Cargo Jet Overruns Miami Airport Runway by 1,300 Feet, Killing 5 as NTSB Investigates

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An Amazon Prime Air Boeing 767 cargo aircraft is shown in flight. Amazon contracts with air carriers to operate aircraft within its cargo network. File Photo

Federal investigators recovered both flight recorders after the Boeing 767 operated by 21 Air for Amazon struck vehicles and traveled about 1,300 feet beyond the runway at Miami International Airport.

MIAMI, Fla. (FNN) — Federal investigators are working to determine why an Amazon cargo jet overran a runway at Miami International Airport by about 1,300 feet Sunday, struck vehicles inside and outside the airport perimeter and crashed, killing five people and injuring at least five others.

The Boeing 767, operated by 21 Air LLC for Amazon, was arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico, when it overran the runway at about 2 p.m. Sunday. It was the aircraft’s third flight of the day, according to investigators.

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy described the crash site Monday as an area of extensive devastation and debris.

Investigators have recovered both the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, which could provide critical information about the aircraft’s approach, touchdown, speed, braking performance and crew communications.

The NTSB has not determined the probable cause of the crash.

NTSB: Jet Struck Vehicles After Leaving Runway

The five people killed were in two vehicles struck by the aircraft after it left the runway, according to the NTSB.

Investigators said the jet first struck a 2021 white Ford Econoline van owned by Professional Ocean Service Corp., an airline cleaning contractor. Seven people were inside the van.

The aircraft then broke through an airport perimeter fence and struck a Toyota Corolla Cross outside airport property.

The jet continued through another fence near an area where Tesla robotaxis were stationed before coming to rest, according to Homendy.

The crash left a large debris field that investigators are documenting as they reconstruct the aircraft’s path.

Five Killed, At Least Five Injured

The human toll extends beyond the aviation and airport investigation.

According to the NTSB, all five fatalities were among people in the two vehicles struck during the runway overrun. At least five other people were injured.

The circumstances put particular attention on what happened after the aircraft left the paved runway and traveled beyond the airport boundary.

Investigators will examine the entire accident sequence before determining what factors contributed to the fatalities.

Flight Recorders Recovered as NTSB Investigates Cause

The central question remains unanswered: Why couldn’t the aircraft stop before reaching the end of the runway?

Homendy cautioned Monday that investigators would not determine probable cause while working at the scene.

The NTSB is examining whether the aircraft touched down too far along the runway to stop safely and whether the crew should have abandoned the landing and performed a go-around. Investigators are also expected to analyze the aircraft’s speed, braking performance, mechanical condition, weather and runway conditions.

Video of the landing is also expected to play an important role in reconstructing the sequence of events.

The flight data recorder can provide technical information about the aircraft’s speed, altitude, control inputs and systems. The cockpit voice recorder can help investigators establish crew communications and other conditions inside the cockpit during the final phase of the flight.

Investigators will combine that evidence with wreckage examinations, maintenance records, air traffic control information, weather data, surveillance video and witness interviews.

Could the Miami Crash Have Been Prevented?

It is too early to determine.

The NTSB has not concluded that pilot actions, mechanical problems, weather, runway conditions or airport infrastructure caused or contributed to the accident.

One issue under scrutiny is the protection available when an aircraft overruns a runway.

Miami International Airport does not have the type of aircraft arresting system installed at some airports, according to AP reporting. MIA instead has a 1,000-foot runway safety buffer and complies with applicable requirements.

That distinction is important: The absence of an arresting system does not establish that airport infrastructure caused the crash or fatalities.

Investigators will need to determine first why the aircraft overran the runway and then whether different safety measures could have prevented the accident or reduced its severity.

The findings could eventually lead to recommendations involving aircraft operations, runway-overrun protection, airport infrastructure or carrier procedures — but any such conclusions would come after the evidence is analyzed.

Amazon-21 Air Safety Relationship Under Review

Another significant part of the investigation will focus on the relationship between Amazon and 21 Air.

The aircraft was carrying cargo for Amazon but was operated by 21 Air.

Homendy said investigators want to understand the responsibilities of each company, including what safety provisions are contained in contracts, policies and operating arrangements.

That examination could help establish how operational and safety responsibilities were divided between the cargo customer and the airline operating the aircraft.

Amazon has said it is cooperating with the investigation.

Crash Causes Major Disruptions at Miami International Airport

The crash also caused significant disruptions at one of the nation’s busiest aviation gateways.

More than 160 flights were canceled and nearly 325 delayed by late Sunday, according to FlightAware data reported by The Associated Press.

Disruptions continued Monday as aircraft and flight crews remained out of position.

Miami International Airport reported that two of its four runways remained closed and advised passengers to contact their airlines before traveling to the airport.

The closures are especially significant because of MIA’s enormous passenger and cargo operations.

The airport handled approximately 55.3 million passengers and 3.4 million U.S. tons of freight in 2025, according to official MIA statistics. The airport has four runways and recorded nearly 499,000 commercial aircraft movements last year.

That makes prolonged runway restrictions potentially consequential for passenger travel, international commerce and South Florida’s logistics network.

What’s Next?

NTSB investigators are expected to continue documenting the wreckage, examining the aircraft and runway, interviewing witnesses and reviewing operational and maintenance records.

Analysis of the cockpit voice and flight data recorders will be particularly important in determining where the aircraft touched down, how fast it was traveling, how much runway remained and how the aircraft’s braking and other systems performed.

Investigators will also examine weather and runway conditions, flight crew actions, air traffic control communications and the Amazon-21 Air operating relationship.

The NTSB’s investigation process separates the collection of factual evidence from its eventual determination of probable cause. The agency maintains public investigation records and dockets as cases progress.

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