Obama names Killefer as 'CPO'

WASHINGTON, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- U.S. President-elect Barack Obama Wednesday selected former Treasury official Nancy Killefer as the nation's first chief performance officer.

Killefer, a senior director in the Washington office of McKinsey & Co. Inc., served as Treasury's chief operating officer during the Clinton administration.

"Change and reform can't be just election year slogans," Obama said in introducing Killefer in Washington. He said the nation no longer can afford to "squander" tax dollars and it is imperative during tough economic times that confidence be restored in the federal budget.

Obama noted his administration will be inheriting a $1.2 trillion budget deficit and that "decisive action" must be taken or "trillion-dollar deficits will be with us for years to come."

Obama said Killefer is an expert at streamlining processes and weeding out inefficiencies.

"Most of the operating issues government faces today have developed over decades and will take time to address," Killefer said, adding it is urgent to begin that process now.