William Daley leaves SBC

CHICAGO, May 15 (UPI) -- William Daley, a former Clinton administration Cabinet member and brother of Chicago's mayor, has resigned his post as president of SBC Communications Inc.

The Chicago Tribune reported Saturday the 55-year-old Daley surprised political insiders when he jumped into the phone business three years ago.

"We appreciate Bill's efforts on behalf of SBC and wish him well," SBC said in a statement.

Daley was named to the $1.2 million SBC job after managing Al Gore's 2000 presidential campaign and serving as President Bill Clinton's secretary of commerce.

Sources told the Tribune Daley next week plans to announce he has a new position with a Chicago employer.

Daley's greatest accomplishment was in getting SBC to be better regarded in Washington, said James Bradford Ramsay, general counsel for the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.

He helped move Congress to consider rewriting federal telecommunications laws and helped boost SBC's status with the Federal Communications Commission, according to Ramsay.