President Clinton is considering Carol J. Parry, executive vice president in charge of community reinvestment at Chase Manhattan Bank, for a spot on the Federal Reserve Board.
Susan M. Phillips' term on the board expires at the end of this month. Ms. Parry declined to comment. But sources said Chase senior executives want her to push for the post although Ms. Parry is considering retiring to Arizona instead.
Another name being floated is John P. Hamill, president of Fleet Bank Massachusetts who also handles government affairs work for the Boston-based company. He also declined to comment.
A White House official said the administration's search team-which includes Deputy Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers and Janet Yellen, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers-has not yet recommended any names to the President.
House Banking Committee Chairman Jim Leach heads to Asia Thursday to get an up-close look at the region's financial crisis.
Banking Committee member Bruce Vento, D-Minn., will join him on the 11- day trip, which includes stopovers in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and China. There is room on the plane for three more lawmakers, but as of Friday no other member had committed himself.
Also taking the trip will be aides James McCormick, assistant staff director for the domestic and international monetary policy subcommittee, and David Runkel, committee spokesman.
The excursion is a fact-finding mission for committee hearings on the International Monetary Fund's bailout plan, which will start soon after Congress convenes Jan. 27.
After much anticipation, former New York Rep. Geraldine Ferraro announced last week that she will run for the Senate seat held by Banking Committee Chairman Alfonse M. D'Amato.
But before the country's first female presidential running mate and television pundit takes on Sen. D'Amato, she must defeat House Banking Committee member Charles Schumer and New York Public Advocate Mark Green in the Sept. 15 Democratic primary.
Despite that first hurdle, Ms. Ferraro has her sights focused on the three-term Republican, deriding Sen. D'Amato as a pork-barrel politician concerned only with securing federal funds for roads and other local projects.
"I believe this high office requires more than being Senator Pothole," she said.
There is still no word from Rep. Henry Gonzalez.
Though the House Banking Committee's ranking Democrat announced in September that he would resign his seat at the end of 1997, he has not submitted his official resignation, prompting rumors that he would return to Washington when Congress reconvenes.
The 81-year-old Texas lawmaker has refused to comment on his plans. If he steps down this year, Texas Gov. George W. Bush would have to call a special election to fill the remainder of his term.
Already, seven Democratic candidates are competing in a March 10 primary to replace him in 1999, including his son, Charlie, and former Banking Committee aide Armando Falcon.
Rep. Rick A. Lazio, R-N.Y., may be running for lieutenant governor of New York this fall.
New York Gov. George Pataki named Rep. Lazio among a handful of possible running mates during an appearance on the Don Imus radio show late last year. A spot opened on Gov. Pataki's reelection ticket after his political falling out with Lt. Gov. Betsy McCaughey Ross.
In an interview Wednesday, Rep. Lazio, a member of the House Banking Committee, dodged questions about his level of interest in the post. "I really have not had any conversations with him about it," Rep. Lazio said. "I love my job. I don't want to say anything premature, but I love what I do here. There is a lot to be done."
Peter Hong, press secretary to Sen. Rod Grams, R-Minn., has been hired by America's Community Bankers as a legislative and communications specialist. In his new job Mr. Hong will develop grass-roots campaigns and coordinate joint lobbying efforts with other industry groups. Mr. Hong, 31, was Sen. Grams' banking aide in 1995 and 1996 before becoming his press secretary.
Michelle Meier left Consumers Union Dec. 31 after 13 years of lobbying on banking issues. Later this month, she will embark on a teaching career, assisting a science instructor at White Oak Middle School in Maryland as part of her master's degree work. Her goal is a permanent job as a middle- school math teacher somewhere in the Washington area.
"It is a real career switch," she said, explaining that her experiences raising her 12-year-old son drew her into education.
