Obama Taps Dodaro for Comptroller General

President Barack Obama on Wednesday announced his intent to nominate Gene L. Dodaro for the job of U.S. comptroller general. As such, Dodaro would lead the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which reviews how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars.

Dodaro has served as acting U.S. comptroller general and head of the GAO since March 2008, when David Walker resigned from the post. The comptroller general is appointed to a 15-year term by the president from a slate of candidates Congress proposes.

Dodaro rose through the agency’s ranks holding positions including COO and assistant comptroller general for GAO’s largest unit, the Accounting and Information Management Division.

“We have a long working history with Gene in his role as acting comptroller general and chief operating officer at the GAO,” Barry Melancon, AICPA CEO and president, said in a press release. “As a 37-year veteran of the GAO, Gene will provide the leadership needed as our nation wrestles with massive and unsustainable budget deficits. While we believe the comptroller general should be a Certified Public Accountant, if a non-CPA is to have this role, Gene’s background and experience makes us comfortable going forward.”

The nomination comes at a time when several organizations touching the accounting profession are searching for new leaders. Bob Herz will step down as FASB’s chairman next week. Fellow board member Leslie Seidman has been appointed acting chairman, effective Oct. 1. FASB’s international counterpart, the International Accounting Standards Board, is searching for a successor to IASB Chairman Sir David Tweedie, who will retire when his term ends in June 2011. Mark Olson resigned as chairman of the PCAOB, effective July 31, 2009. Daniel Goelzer is acting PCAOB chairman.

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