In making the announcement, Rios thanked Peterson for his service as Deputy Director. She noted that Peterson will continue to be a part of the team moving forward through the many important issues and initiatives the Mint will tackle this year.
Dick Peterson, the current Deputy Director, will return to the position of Deputy Director for Manufacturing and Quality, the job he was in prior to becoming Deputy Director.
Jeppson and Peterson are members of the Senior Executive Service (SES), the program that helps the U.S. government maintain a vibrant executive management system. As part of the SES program, government executives must take a new management position every three years. This way they maintain strong management skills and managers do not become entrenched and complacent in their jobs. Although SES guidelines encourage members to change agencies or major departments within the agencies, SES members can elect to stay in the same job with permission from the appointed executive who supervises their work.
Since the U.S. Mint does not have an appointed Director, Jeppson will be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the bureau—essentially, the U.S. Mint’s chief operating officer. Treasurer Rios remains the government equivalent of the Chief Executive Officer.
The U.S. Mint has not had a director since Edmund Moy resigned in January 2011. Given the current political climate, it is unlikely that the president will nominate a new director or, if he tries to nominate another candidate, the senate would confirm his nomination.