A former Dickinson resident could soon hold a position in the Obama administration.
Martha "Nace" Johnson, daughter of Ted and Lovina Nace, is up for nomination for administrator of the General Services Administration.
Johnson attended high school in Dickinson from 1966 to 1968 before moving east. Her parents, Ted, former pastor of the congregational church in Dickinson, and Lovina, a former Berg Elementary teacher, resided in Dickinson for about 17 years before moving to New York.
In her position, Johnson said she would be a part of a large agency in Washington.
"It handles two arenas," Johnson said. "First it handles the federal buildings and the second is that it manages all of the goods and services that federal employees need to have to do their jobs."
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A Senate hearing, to be held in four to six weeks, is needed before Johnson can be nominated, she said.
"The Senate sets that, it's really up to them," Johnson said.
Johnson was part of the Clinton administration for eight years, serving as chief of staff at the General Services Administration.
"That's where I learned a lot about the GSA," she said.
Johnson said she was "very excited" to hear she could be nominated.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations is conducting checks on Johnson, she said, along with the Office of Government Ethics. This is thorough and appropriate, she said.
Johnson said though she didn't spend much time in Dickinson, she remembers it as a "very special time," and she still has good friends here that she keeps in touch with.
"Martha is an exceptionally bright, organized, common-sense person and so what I know of her and her past, she's probably an ideal candidate for the position," said Dann Greenwood, Dickinson resident and Johnson's high school friend.
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Johnson and her husband Steven reside in Maryland. If Johnson is nominated, her office will be located in Washington, she said.
"Right now I'm studying and I am waiting and I am hoping," she said.
In a White House press release, President Barack Obama said, "The dedication and intelligence that these fine public servants will bring to their respective roles gives me confidence that they will be effective and important additions to our team as we work to tackle the many challenges our nation faces."
