Fuchs to Take Acting Role as CFPB's No. 2

WASHINGTON — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau named Meredith Fuchs, the agency's general counsel, to fill the bureau's No. 2 leadership soon to be vacated by Steven Antonakes.

Antonakes announced to employees last week that he would be stepping down both as deputy director and as associate director in the agency's division of supervision, enforcement and fair lending.

Fuchs will serve as acting deputy director after Antonakes officially leaves at the end of this month. Fuchs had been planning to leave the agency too, but will fill both the general counsel and deputy director's positions until permanent successors are named for each.

"Meredith's experience and vision have helped build the Bureau since before we opened our doors, and I could not be more pleased that she has agreed to take on the role of Acting Deputy Director," said CFPB Director Richard Cordray in a press release. "I am deeply grateful to Steve and Meredith for their contributions to the CFPB and the American public we serve."

The CFPB also named David Bleicken as acting associate director in the agency's division of supervision, enforcement and fair lending. Antonakes has filled that position since June 2012. Bleicken is currently deputy associate director in the division.

All three officials have been at the agency almost from its beginning. Fuchs joined the CFPB in in 2011 as principal deputy general counsel and then moved to chief of staff before taking on her current role. She had announced her resignation earlier this month. Bleicken started at the CFPB in June 2011 as counsel to Antonakes.

Antonakes, a longtime bank supervisor, sent a memo to employees last week announcing his sudden resignation and citing his need to be with his family in Boston.

"Steve has been an enormous asset to the bureau, and a great friend and colleague to me since the early days of the agency," Cordray said. "His contributions to this agency have been extensive in his dual roles ... and he will be sorely missed."

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, click here.
Law and regulation
MORE FROM AMERICAN BANKER