Howard Schweitzer is the managing partner of Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies and served in high-level political and executive appointments in the Bush, Clinton, and Obama administrations, including a pivotal role in the federal government’s financial crisis response as Chief Operating Officer of the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).
Howard counsels clients regarding a variety of regulatory and policy issues before the U.S. government and represents clients before U.S. Executive Branch agencies and Congress. In October 2008, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson appointed Howard as the first COO of TARP. In this position, Howard led program execution and built the TARP infrastructure.
He served as a key point person regarding the financial crisis through the presidential transition and continued to serve as TARP COO under Secretary Timothy Geithner until August 2009. In this position, Howard played a critical role in overseeing the program administration and was responsible for ensuring that multiple agencies and government parties were aligned and coordinated in their understanding of the program and its priorities.
Prior to his Treasury appointment, Howard was appointed by President Bush as senior vice president, general counsel, corporate secretary, and chief ethics officer at the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank). In this capacity, he was Ex-Im Bank’s principal legal and corporate governance officer. Howard began his career at Ex-Im Bank during the Clinton administration and throughout his tenure was involved in negotiating the bank’s most complex international financial transactions.
Howard also played a key role in managing the bank’s $60 billion credit portfolio and in interfacing with other executive branch agencies and Congress. Howard served as a trusted adviser to five bank chief executives in both Republican and Democratic administrations and ran the Senate confirmation process for more than 20 presidential nominees.
Upon his departure from the Treasury, Secretary Geithner awarded Howard the Treasury’s Distinguished Service Award for his role in creating TARP and responding to the financial crisis. He also received the Export-Import Bank Chairman’s Award in 2003 for his service to the U.S. exporting community.
Howard often contributes political and policy commentary to various leading TV, print, and radio media. His appearances include op-eds in Fortune, Forbes and The Daily Caller; guest slots on CNN and POTUS Politics; and commentary in The Washington Post and CNN.
He also co-leads Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies’ political series and podcast, which provides analysis and insight on political and policy developments in Washington. He earned his law degree from George Washington University Law School and his Bachelor of Arts in history, with distinction, from the University of Michigan.
EXPERIENCE :
- Structured and negotiating more than $4 billion in financing for projects in China, Peru, Russia, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia.
- Negotiated more than $1 billion in complex debt restructurings in the telecommunications, oil, power, and aviation industries.
- Negotiated legislation to transition the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) to a self-funding corporation.
- Negotiated a five-year renewal of Ex-Im Bank’s Charter with the Senate Banking Committee and the House Financial Services Committee
- Lead several high-profile fraud and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigations in conjunction with the Department of Justice.
EDUCATION :
- George Washington University Law School, J.D., 1995
- University of Michigan, B.A., 1991
BAR ADMISSIONS :
- District of Columbia
- Maryland
- New Jersey
Cost
Rate : $$$