A White House associate personneldirector, Mark Sullivan, emerged as a possible candidate to
replace Susan Phillips as chairman of the Commodity Futures
Trading Commission (CFTC).
    Commodity industry and government sources said Sullivan,
who is not well known to the commodities industry, has emerged
this week as a surprise candidate for the post.
    Sullivan, an attorney, has been in charge of Reagan
administration personnel appointments in the legal and
financial affairs areas since July, 1986.
    Phillips resigned last month to assume the post of vice
president of finance at the University of Iowa.
    Following Phillips' resignation CFTC commissioner Kalo
Hineman, a Kansas farmer, or commissioner Robert Davis were
considered the strongest candidates to head the agency, at
least temporarily.
    However, industry sources said the strong speculation about
Sullivan suggests he now is the leading candidate.
    Sullivan's name has also been floated recently for other
Reagan administration financial regulatory positions. He was
rumored in April to be under consideration for a position on
the board of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, which regulates
Savings and Loan Associations.
 Reuter
