Obama appoints social secretary

Desiree Rogers, a prominent Chicago businesswoman and Harvard MBA, will be named White House social secretary, sources in the presidential transition office told the Washington Post.

Rogers, 49, is a friend of President-elect Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, and is a leader in Chicago corporate and social circles. Her appointment signals that the Obamas consider the job crucial to how they introduce themselves to the nation and to the world. She was a major fundraiser for Obama, and has long been part of the Obamas’ inner circle.

Rogers, who will be the first black White House social secretary, comes from Allstate Financial, where she was hired to create a social network of consumers and clients. Before that, Rogers was the president of Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas, a $2-billion utility.