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On July 1, President Bush officially appointed Michael Schwartz as chairman of the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB). Schwartz, whose nomination was confirmed May 23 by the U.S. Senate, succeeds Cherryl Thomas.



A long-time Illinois government official, Schwartz previously served as director of the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) from 1995 to 2002, and as CMS associate director from 1989 to 1995. CMS provides a variety of centralized services to state and local government agencies, including procurement, data processing and data communication, personnel, property management, and administration of state employee benefit plans.



Schwartz also served as the state of Illinois' assistant director of personnel, Office of Governor (1988-1989); executive assistant to the director of revenue (1986-1988); and assistant to the director of professional regulation (1985-1986).



An independent federal agency with headquarters in Chicago, RRB administers the
$8.5 billion-a-year benefit programs provided under the Federal Railroad Retirement and Unemployment Insurance Acts, which cover U.S. railroad workers and their families.