Daniel M. Hawke Named District Administrator of the SEC's Philadelphia District Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2006-49

Washington, D.C., April 6, 2006 - Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Christopher Cox today announced the appointment of Dan Hawke as the District Administrator of the Commission's Philadelphia District Office (PDO). As District Administrator, Hawke will oversee the office's enforcement and examinations functions in a five-state area in addition to the District of Columbia. He succeeds Joy Thompson who has been serving as the Acting District Administrator since October 2005 and who will now return to her post as Associate District Administrator for Examinations in the PDO. Hawke will assume his position immediately.

Hawke, 42, is currently the Associate District Administrator for Enforcement in the PDO. Prior to being promoted to that position, he served in various positions of increasing responsibility in the Division of Enforcement in Washington, D.C., which he joined in 1999. Prior to joining the Commission, Hawke was a litigation partner in the Washington D.C. law firm of Tucker, Flyer & Lewis, P.C.

"Dan Hawke will be an outstanding leader of the SEC's Philadelphia office," said SEC Chairman Christopher Cox. "He has proven himself as a tenacious investigator, a skilled litigator, and above all, a man of solid judgment. Investors will be well served by his dedication to justice and his commitment to public service."

SEC Director of Enforcement Linda Thomsen said, "I am delighted that Dan Hawke will assume the leadership of our Philadelphia District Office. He is a very talented attorney who has played a critical role in the Commission's investigation and litigation of numerous complex enforcement matters. Dan's tenure at the Commission demonstrates the outstanding leadership abilities he will bring to his new role, and the Commission will benefit greatly from his integrity, fairness and commitment to protecting investors."

Lori Richards, Director of the SEC's Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations, added, "I'm so pleased that Dan will be taking the helm in Philadelphia. I know he will continue to be an asset in our agency's efforts to protect investors in the region."

Mr. Hawke said, "I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as the head of the Commission's Philadelphia District Office. I believe deeply in the SEC's mission, its tradition of excellence, and its reputation for fairness and professionalism. I look forward to working with the District Office's exceptional staff in meeting and maintaining the high ideals for which the Commission is known."

During his tenure with the Commission, Hawke has been responsible for and supervised a number of important enforcement actions. Among the most significant were the Commission's recent case against Estonian traders who used an electronic "spider" program to improperly access confidential information from a commercial newswire service, an action against Arthur Andersen and four of its partners for their improper audits of Waste Management, Inc., an action against Banc of America Securities for recordkeeping violations, an action charging a hedge fund manager with insider trading and Section 5 violations in a PIPE offering and actions charging violations of Regulation FD.

Hawke is the recipient of the Commission's Ellen B. Ross Award and two Division of Enforcement Director Awards. He earned his undergraduate degree from Tulane University in 1985 and his law degree from Boston University School of Law in 1989 where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Boston University International Law Journal.

http://www.sec.gov/news/press/2006/2006-49.htm