President Barack Obama will announce his nomination for the next secretary of Veterans Affairs on Monday. Robert A. McDonald is expected to be chosen for the position.
Who is Robert McDonald?
McDonald recently retired as chairman of Procter & Gamble, a Fortune 500 company with which he worked for 33 years. Although some question his ability to work with a government agency after being involved with the private sector for so long, McDonald has a strong military background.
McDonald's father served in World War II with the Army Air Corps. As the son of a veteran, the military was part of his early life. He went on to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and graduated in the top 2 percentile of his class, according to USA Today. After college, he served in the Army for five years and became a captain in the 82nd Airborne Division. When he left the military, he received the Meritorious Service Medal.
In his life after service, McDonald went back to school and got his MBA from the University of Utah in 1978. He then started working at P&G in 1980, serving as a brand manager for several big name companies, including Tide. After making his way up in the company, he later becoming chief operating officer and then chairman of the board.
Issues with the VA
McDonald will be replacing Army general Eric Shinseki, Obama's nomination from 2009, who resigned from the position on May 30.
A recent upheaval has shaken the agency amid allegations that it hasn't been providing veterans with proper medical care. An internal audit identified problems that may have caused delayed care and the falsification of records.
McDonald's experience in the private sector and with business management are being touted as key points for his consideration for the position. His experience with managing a large company is seen as potentially helpful when it comes to managing the thousands of hospitals administered by the VA. The New York Times reported that McDonald managed 120,000 employees between 2009 and 2013 and that his company served over five billion customers.
Retired Army Gen. Stanley McChystal, who served with McDonald in the 82nd Airborne, said the nominee's "business acumen, coupled with his dedication and love of our nation's military and veteran community, make him a truly great choice for the tough challenges we have at VA," the Associated Press reported.
"This is definitely a surprising pick," said Paul Rieckhoff, the chief executive and founder of charity organization Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, told the New York Times. "McDonald is not a name that was on anyone's radar over the last few weeks. His branding background may prove helpful because there are few organizations in America with a worse reputation toward customers than the VA right now."
In order to become the official secretary of Veteran Affairs, McDonald's nomination will need support from both the Republican and Democratic parties. He must get congressional approval before being appointed.