Washington People: OCC Chief of Staff Rejoining Ex-Boss Ludwig at BT

Mark Jacobsen, chief of staff at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, will leave the agency Aug. 14 to join his old boss at Bankers Trust Co.

Four months after the big New York bank hired former Comptroller Eugene A. Ludwig as its vice chairman, it has hired Mr. Jacobsen as a managing director.

Mr. Jacobsen joined the OCC in 1994 as special assistant to Julie L. Williams, the agency's chief counsel who was promoted to acting comptroller when Mr. Ludwig left in April.

Mr. Jacobsen became special assistant to Mr. Ludwig in 1995 and became his chief of staff in January.

In a note to OCC employees, Ms. Williams said Mr. Jacobsen's accomplishments at the agency go far beyond his duties as chief of staff.

"He has distinguished himself at every step along the way," she wrote.

For instance, he was her co-author for a groundbreaking law article that established the three-part test used to determine whether specific businesses are permissible bank powers. He also reorganized the OCC's information technology services department in 1997.

Mark Nishan, deputy comptroller for continuing education, will assume most of Mr. Jacobsen's duties on an interim basis.

Armando Falcon, former Democratic general counsel for the House Banking Committee, is in the running to be director of the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight.

The agency, which oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, has been without a permanent director since February 1997 when Aida Alvarez left to head the Small Business Administration.

Sources said President Clinton, who is considering at least one other candidate, will pick a nominee this month with the hope of Senate confirmation before Congress adjourns in October.

Mr. Falcon, who declined to comment on his job prospects, left the House Banking staff last fall to make an unsuccessful run for the San Antonio congressional seat of retiring Henry B. Gonzalez.

When Congress recesses for its August break, many Washington insiders take a breather, too.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Donna A. Tanoue is spending two weeks in England and France with her husband and daughter, who remained in Honolulu during her first month in office. Ms. Tanoue returns Aug. 17.

Kenneth A. Guenther, executive vice president of the Independent Bankers Association of America, spent last week visiting his daughter in Minnesota and plans to take some time off after a business trip to Vancouver this week.

Paul A. Schosberg, president of America's Community Bankers, is relaxing in Saratoga, N.Y., until Aug. 19.

President Clinton tapped Mitchell Berger as chairman of the Student Loan Marketing Association (Sallie Mae), the government-sponsored entity owned by SLM Holding Corp.

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