Francis "Fran" Cherry has been named Deputy Director for Operations of the Bureau of Land Management, BLM Director Kathleen Clarke announced today. Cherry, a 33-year veteran of the BLM who has most recently served as State Director of the Bureau's Alaska State Office, succeeds Nina Rose Hatfield, who will become a Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget in the Department of the Interior.

"Fran Cherry is respected as an innovative manager and leader. He understands the needs of land users and the challenges we face in carrying out our multiple use mission," said Clarke. "I know that the entire Bureau will benefit from his insight and experience."

"I am honored to be named Deputy Director," Cherry said. "I'm proud to have served the Bureau and worked with so many wonderful colleagues and the public, and look forward to new challenges in Washington."

As the BLM's Alaska State Director, Cherry oversaw all aspects of the Bureau's operations on over 80 million acres of public lands, including implementation of a major energy initiative in the National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska (NPRA).

During his career with the BLM, Cherry has worked as Associate State Director for Montana/Dakotas; Natural Resource Specialist and Area Manager of the River Resource Area in Vernal, Utah; Regional Planner and Chief of the Branch of Planning in the Colorado State Office; and Manager of the Roswell District Office in New Mexico. Cherry also served in Washington, D.C., as Energy Policy Coordinator and Chief of the Branch of Solid Leasable Minerals.

Cherry, a native of Utah, earned his Bachelor of Science degree in zoology from Brigham Young University and received his Master of Science degree in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Wisconsin. His outside activities include hunting and fishing.

The BLM, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior, manages more land -- 262 million surface acres -- than any other federal agency. Most of this public land is located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM, which has an annual budget of $1.8 billion, carries out its "multiple use" land management mission with a workforce of about 10,000 employees.