Straight Retires as FTC Executive Director

Federal Trade Commission Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras announced today that Executive Director Rosemarie Straight will retire after 22 years of service to the agency. Majoras has designated Judith Bailey, currently Deputy Executive Director, to serve as Acting Executive Director.

“Rosemarie has made an indelible impression on the FTC landscape and we will miss her,” said Majoras. “Her contributions advanced major FTC operations, programs, and initiatives, and improved the daily work life of all of the agency’s employees.”

Straight joined the FTC in 1983 as Assistant Director of Human Resources and became Director of Human Resources in 1987. She was named Deputy Executive Director in 1992 by former Chairman Janet Steiger and appointed to Executive Director in 1997 by former Chairman Robert Pitofsky.

During Straight’s tenure as Executive Director, the FTC’s budget doubled from $101.9 million in 1997 to $205.4 million in 2005. Her contributions to the budget process helped the agency enhance its vital consumer and competition protection programs. Following the establishment of the President’s Management Agenda in 2001, a government-wide initiative to improve management, she worked with a team to develop an ambitious long-term plan for the agency.

In addition, Straight helped strengthen the agency’s information technology capabilities to support the Do Not Call Registry, which contains more than 84 million telephone numbers; the Consumer Response Center, which enables the FTC to communicate directly with consumers; and the Consumer Sentinel Database, which shares consumer complaint data with more than 1,200 law enforcement partners.

Her commitment to work/life services led to enhancements in recruitment and retention, performance management, award recognition, health and wellness, security, and emergency preparedness.

“Rosemarie’s skilled management, keen intelligence, and perceptive vision helped set the standard for the FTC’s work,” said Majoras. “Her leadership motivated employees to exceed expectations. In addition, she visualized projects three and four steps into the future, which often saved the agency time and money.”

Straight oversaw significant improvements to the FTC’s buildings, including an unprecedented relocation of almost half of the staff to a new satellite building in Washington, DC. Also, Straight supervised the delivery of high-quality support for numerous special events including seminars, press conferences, and, most recently, the 90th anniversary of the agency.

Bailey has served as the FTC’s Deputy Executive Director since 1998. Prior to joining the FTC, she worked at two law firms and was appointed by Chairman Peter Rodino, Jr., as counsel to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Monopolies and Commercial Law. Bailey also served as counsel at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, focusing on professional liability matters. Bailey worked at the FTC from 1990 to 1991 as a staff attorney and returned in 1996 as an Assistant Director in the Bureau of Competition. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and holds master’s degrees from the University of Chicago and University College (London). Bailey received her law degree from the UCLA Law School.