US Coins

Obama to nominate Rhett Jepson as next Mint director

President Obama's intention to nominate Matthew Rhett Jeppson, principal deputy director of the United States Mint, as the 39th Mint director, was announced July 9 by the White House.

Image courtesy of U.. Treasury Department.

President Obama intends to nominate U.S. Mint Principal Deputy Director Matthew Rhett Jeppson to a five-year term as the 39th director of the U.S. Mint, the White House announced July 9.

The presidentially appointed position has been officially vacant since the 38th Mint director, Edmund C. Moy, left the Mint for the private sector in January 2011, eight months before his five-year term officially expired.

After Moy's departure, the Mint's current deputy director for manufacturing, Richard Peterson, alternated between duties as acting Mint director and deputy Mint director.

Jeppson joined the U.S. Mint Jan. 12, 2015, in the newly created position of principal deputy director, having moved over from the Small Business Administration where he served as acting chief operating officer.

Peterson was then given the new title of deputy director of manufacturing, with his responsibilities more focused on coin and medal production.

Oversight of the Mint and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is currently the responsibility of U.S. Treasurer Rosie Rios.

Jeppson is President Obama's second selection to run the Mint. On Sept. 19, 2012, President Obama nominated Detroit auto executive Bibiana Boerio as the 39th Mint director, and the nomination was referred to the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. If the nomination had been reported out of committee it would have come before the full Senate for a vote. Boerio's nomination died at the committee level.

If Jeppson is officially nominated and the nomination given full Senate approval, how much of the five year term Jeppson might serve would depend on a number of factors.

It has been traditional, upon the election of a new president, for presidential appointees of the previous administration to voluntarily tender their resignations. It is up to the incoming president, even if of the same political party, to accept or reject those customary resignations.

Moy, a Republican appointed by President George W. Bush, never submitted a resignation to President Obama upon Obama's swearing-in, in January 2009, for the first of his two four-year presidential terms. Moy remained in office until leaving the Mint for the private sector in January 2011 after being with the Mint since September 2006. President Obama made no movement to appoint a Mint director until Boerio's nomination in 2012.

The White House released the following biographical information on Jeppson:

Matthew Rhett Jeppson, Nominee for Director of the Mint, Department of the Treasury

"Matthew Rhett Jeppson is the Principal Deputy Director of the Mint, a position he has held since January 2015. Mr. Jeppson was Associate Administrator in the Office of Veterans Business Development at the Small Business Administration (SBA) from 2012 to 2015 and also served as the Acting Chief Operating Officer of SBA from 2014 to 2015.

"From 2010 to 2012, he was Lead Crisis Response Planner at U.S. European Command. Mr. Jeppson served as Deputy Director of Operations for U.S. Forces Afghanistan from 2009 to 2010. From 2004 to 2008, he was Chief of Joint National Training Capability and European Engagements Lead at the United States Special Operations Command and served as Counter-Terrorism Planner and Chief of Current Operations for Marine Forces Europe from 2001 to 2003.

"Mr. Jeppson was Director of State Purchasing and Special Assistant to the Secretary at the Department of Business and Professional Regulation of the State of Florida from 1999 to 2003, and he served as Operations and Exercise Officer at Special Operations Command Central from 1995 to 1999.

"He was Vice President of E. Mark Jeppson, Inc. from 1992 to 1994. He also served as Principal Battalion Staff Officer, 81mm Mortar Platoon Commander, Rifle Company Executive Officer, and Rifle Platoon Commander in the 1st Marine Division from 1989 to 1991. Mr. Jeppson received a B.A. from the University of Florida."

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