Obama Taps Gene Sperling To Head National Economic Council

President Barack Obama announced Friday that he has appointed Gene Sperling, an adviser to Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, to head the National Economic Council.

“He is a public servant who has devoted his life to making this economy work, and making it work specifically for middle class families,” Obama said during a late morning appearance at a Maryland-based manufacturing plant.

Obama heralded Sperling for helping craft a $42 billion piece of legislation Monday aimed at cutting taxes and increasing access to credit within the small businesses community as well as the tax-cut compromise struck between the White House and congressional Republicans last month.

Sperling served as the National Economic Council’s Director during Clinton’s second term. He will be replacing outgoing director Larry Summers.