New Head Of White House Faith-Based Office Appointed

Almost unnoticed last week, President George W. Bush appointed a new head of the White House Office of the Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. He is Jay Hein. The White House's Aug. 3 announcement of the appointment said:

Mr. Hein is the President of the Sagamore Institute for Policy Research, a national think tank he founded that specializes in community-based reforms. Mr. Hein also serves as Executive Vice President and CEO of the Foundation for American Renewal, which provides financial grants and other support to community-based organizations and educates the general public on effective compassion practices.

"Jay has long been a leading voice for compassionate conservatism and a champion of faith and community-based organizations. By joining my Administration, he will help ensure that these organizations receive a warm welcome as government's partner in serving our American neighbors in need," stated President Bush.

Mr. Hein previously was Executive Director of Civil Society Programs at the Hudson Institute. Earlier in his career, he served as a Welfare Reform Policy Assistant to the Governor of the State of Wisconsin...

One of the few papers covering the appointment of the Indiana resident was the Indianapolis Star which said that White House officials discovered Hein when, at the suggestion of former Indiana Senator Dan Coates, they went to Hein for suggestions about other candidates for the job.