John Loesch Named Deputy Director in SEC's Office of Investor Education and Advocacy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2007-252

Washington, D.C., Dec. 5, 2007 - The Securities and Exchange Commission announced today that John Loesch has been named Deputy Director of the agency's Office of Investor Education and Advocacy (OIEA), which is undergoing an expansion announced by SEC Chairman Christopher Cox earlier this year.

"John brings significant enforcement and management experience to the job and OIEA is fortunate to have him join the team," said Kristi Kaepplein, Director of OIEA. "John's leadership skills and commitment to the protection of investors will serve OIEA well as it acts as advocate on issues important to individual investors."

Mr. Loesch said, "I am excited to begin working with the dedicated professionals of OIEA and look forward to the opportunity to serve individual investors, especially in light of Chairman Cox's recent expansion of the office."

As Deputy Director, Mr. Loesch will play an important role in the management of the office, recently restructured to handle new responsibilities. He will advise and assist the Director with planning and managing several new initiatives, including assessing the views and needs of retail investors, ensuring that those views inform the Commission's regulatory policies and disclosure programs, improving financial literacy, and helping investors make informed investment decisions.

Mr. Loesch joins OIEA from the SEC's Division of Enforcement, where he has served as senior counsel and branch chief since September 1999. In that capacity, he supervised a number of complex enforcement investigations in several major program areas and was one of the lead attorneys assigned to the Enforcement Division's investigation of Enron Corporation.

Before his SEC service, Mr. Loesch worked in the U.S. Senate as counsel to the Committee on Governmental Affairs and in the U.S. House of Representatives as counsel to the Committee on Education and the Workforce. Prior to that, he served as a surface warfare officer in the United States Navy.

Mr. Loesch received his undergraduate degree from the United States Naval Academy and earned his law degree from the University of San Diego School of Law.