NATION : Bush Taps Corporate Executive for Social Security Administration Post

Gwendolyn S. King, a former aide to Sen. John Heinz (R-Pa.), was nominated today by President Bush to replace Dorcas Hardy as head of the Social Security Administration.

King, a corporate executive, was director of Pennsylvania’s Washington office when U.S. Atty. Gen. Dick Thornburgh was governor of the state.

If confirmed by the Senate, King would take over an agency criticized by labor and congressional Democrats for cutting back from 80,000 to 65,000 employees during the Ronald Reagan Administration. She will also face questions of whether to continue to invest the mounting Social Security surplus in government securities or channel funds into financially pressed domestic programs.

Hardy resigned as commissioner last month after lobbying for her job in the face of congressional criticism and indications that Bush wanted to replace her.