Press Release
Press Release · Thursday, September 18, 1997

Washington, DC - Archivist of the United States John W. Carlin today announced a reorganization of his support staff to increase managerial efficiency and improve external and internal communications of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

NARA is the nation’s record keeper, safeguarding and providing public access to government documents through a nationwide network of archives, records centers, and presidential libraries.

Mr. Carlin announced an expansion of NARA’s Policy and Communications Staff and the appointment of Gerald George as its director effective October 1. The Policy and Communications Staff provides staff support to NARA’s Leadership Team and coordinates public affairs and other external and internal communications. "Congressional liaison responsibilities will also be incorporated in the Policy and Communications Staff," Mr. Carlin said, "in order to assist in the development of an integrated program of policy and communications."

Mr. George will transfer from his current position as executive director of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, the grant-making affiliate of the National Archives and Records Administration. "I am pleased that Jerry George will now devote full time to NARA’s policy and communications activities," Mr. Carlin said. AWorking with NARA’s Leadership Team, he already has played a key role in the drafting of our Strategic Plan and major communications. And his experience with allied organizations and NARA stakeholders through the NHPRC, as well as his professional background in journalism and historical resource preservation in the private sector, make him the logical person to head our Policy and Communications Staff.@

"This move," Mr. Carlin continued, "will have the further advantage of freeing Deputy Archivist Lewis Bellardo to devote more time to helping me deal with major issues confronting NARA. Previously he was acting director of the Policy and Communications Staff, as well as doing his own job, and I am extremely grateful to him for the long hours of hard and effective work he put into those dual responsibilities."

By statute, the National Historical Publications and Records Commission itself will choose a successor to Mr. George as its executive director, but in the interim the NHPRC will continue to have experienced leadership, Mr. Carlin said: "I am delighted to announce that Roger Bruns, currently serving in NARA’s communications staff, will return to the NHPRC as acting executive director. As a former deputy executive director of the NHPRC, he knows the Commission and its operations well."

For additional PRESS information, please contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at (301) 837-1700 or e-mail public.affairs@nara.gov.

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