President Biden formally introduced Friday that Jeff Zients, the previous White Home COVID-19 czar, will change Ron Klain as chief of employees.
In a prolonged assertion, Mr. Biden praised Klain for his tireless work, and mentioned he’s “assured that Jeff will proceed Ron’s instance of sensible, regular management, as we proceed to work onerous on daily basis for the individuals we have been despatched right here to serve.”
CBS Information had already reported that Zients would change Klain. Klain has been Mr. Biden’s chief of employees since day one.
Sarah Silbiger/Bloomberg through Getty Pictures
The president mentioned the White Home will host an official transition occasion subsequent week to thank Klain and to welcome Zients again to the White Home as chief of employees.
So who’s Jeff Zients?
Mr. Biden has described Zients as an “skilled supervisor,” which is why the president introduced him on to deal with the administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He does have extra enterprise expertise than Klain, one thing that might profit the president as he heads into the second half of his time period. Zients left his place as COVID-19 coordinator final yr.
“He is a terrific implementer, he is nice with operations and he is additionally an incredible human being, which I believe ought to matter as nicely,” White Home press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre mentioned earlier than any announcement was made.
He has in depth non-public sector expertise
Zients’ background is in administration consulting and enterprise management, and he is spent about twenty years within the non-public sector. Zients labored on the consulting agency Bain & Firm, and served as CEO and chairman of the The Advisory Board Firm. He additionally served on the boards of Fb, Youngsters’s Nationwide Medical Heart and Sirius XM Radio, based on his Obama-era biography.
Zients additionally co-founded The City Alliance Basis, a nonprofit group that works with corporations to supply younger individuals from low-income households with paid internships, mentors and job coaching.
A D.C.-specific declare to fame is that Zients is an authentic investor in and co-owner of the favored native chain, Name Your Mom Deli. Mr. Biden has visited the Georgetown location as president.
In 2002, when he was 35, Zients landed on Fortune journal’s record of the 40 richest People beneath 40. The journal on the time estimated his wealth was $149 million.
He labored for the Obama administration
Zients’ first authorities job was in 2009, when he was made chief efficiency officer for the Workplace of Administration and Finances for the Obama administration. He went on to function the director of the Nationwide Financial Council and assistant to Obama for financial coverage.
Zients additionally handled the aftermath of the failures Healthcare.gov, after the Reasonably priced Care Act web site imploded shortly after launching.
“Once I ran for workplace, I promised to make authorities work for the American individuals,” Mr. Biden mentioned in his Friday assertion. “That is what Jeff does. A giant process forward is now implementing the legal guidelines we have gotten handed effectively and pretty.”
He grew up in D.C.
Zients was born and raised in Washington, D.C., attended the all-boys St. Albans non-public faculty within the metropolis. He graduated along with his bachelor’s diploma from Duke College.
