Markets Wired

Federal Trade Commission Chairman William E. Kovacic announced today that Marian R. Bruno, Associate Director of Management and Operations in the Bureau of Competition, has been named Deputy Director of the Bureau, and that Norman Armstrong, Jr., Deputy Assistant Director of the Bureau’s Mergers IV Division, has been named Acting Deputy Director. Bruno and Armstrong will be joining Kenneth Glazer, who is now serving as Senior Deputy Director.

“Marian, Norm and Ken bring superb experience, judgment and commitment to these roles. By accepting their new duties they will help maintain our exceptional performance as an agency,” Chairman Kovacic said.

Bruno joined the agency in 1990 as an attorney in the Bureau’s Premerger Notification Office. During a two-year period in the Bureau’s Healthcare Division she had an active role in many hospital merger matters, and then she became an Assistant to the Director, working on all aspects of antitrust matters. In 1999, Bruno was promoted to Assistant Director of the Premerger Notification Office, where, under her leadership, the Hart-Scott-Rodino program has implemented significant HSR rules changes, including the statutory reform and related rules changes in 2000-2001 and treatment of non-corporate entities in 2005. She took on added responsibilities in the Operations Division in 2004, led the Merger Process Reform Task Force in 2005, and was promoted to Associate Director of Management and Operations in 2007.

Armstrong joined the FTC in 1995 as a staff attorney in the Bureau’s Mergers I Division, where he was a lead attorney on merger investigations involving numerous industries, including defense, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, energy, and consumer goods. He served as Counsel to the Director from January to September 2007. In his current role as a manager in Mergers IV, Armstrong played a major role in several matters, including the Inova/Prince William investigation and litigation.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,500 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s Web site provides free information on a variety of consumer topics.