Mark Victor Rosenker (December 8, 1946 – September 26, 2020) was an American
aviation
Aviation includes the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. ''Aircraft'' includes fixed-wing and rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as lighter-than-air craft such as hot air ...
official who served as the 11th chairman of the
National Transportation Safety Board
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and incid ...
(NTSB) from August 2006 through August 2008. He was nominated by
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
and unanimously confirmed by the
U.S. Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
. Chairman Rosenker was renominated by President Bush for a second term as chair and was going through the Senate confirmation process, which basically ended when President Obama was elected in November 2008.
He served as acting chair starting in March 2005 to August 2006 and then again from August 2008 until his resignation from the board in August 2009, when he returned to private life.
[Biography of Mark Rosenker](_blank)
/ref> He died on September 26, 2020 from brain cancer at the age of 73.
Military service
Rosenker was a retired Air Force Reserve
The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a MAJCOM, major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of ...
Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
. During his 37-year active duty and reserve career, Rosenker received numerous awards and decorations including the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
The Air Force Distinguished Service Medal (AFDSM) is a military decoration of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force and is presented to airmen and guardians to recognize distinguished and exceptionally meritorious service to ...
with One Oak Leaf Cluster
An oak leaf cluster is a ribbon device to denote preceding decorations and awards consisting of a miniature bronze or silver twig of four oak leaves with three acorns on the stem. It is authorized by the United States Armed Forces for a speci ...
and the Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...
.
He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the USAF in June 1969 via the University of Maryland
The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of M ...
ROTC
The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC ( or )) is a group of college- and university-based officer-training programs for training commissioned officers of the United States Armed Forces.
Overview
While ROTC graduate officers serve in all ...
program. He began his active duty Air Force career in July 1969. He served five years as a civilian member of the Board of Visitors of the Community College of the Air Force
The Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) is a federal program offered by the United States Air Force and United States Space Force which grants two-year Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees in association with Air University. CCAF se ...
. Rosenker graduated from the Air Command and Staff College
The Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) is located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama and is the United States Air Force's intermediate-level Professional Military Education (PME) school. It is a subordinate command of the Air Uni ...
and the Air War College
The Air War College (AWC) is the senior Professional Military Education (PME) school of the U.S. Air Force. A part of the United States Air Force's Air University, AWC emphasizes the employment of air, space, and cyberspace in joint operation ...
.
Government work
Rosenker was appointed by the president a board member of the NTSB beginning March 2003 after unanimous confirmation by the United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
and was designated vice chairman the following month by the president. He began a second 5-year term as a board member in January 2005 after another unanimous confirmation. In October 2017 Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe
Terence Richard McAuliffe (born February 9, 1957) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 72nd governor of Virginia from 2014 to 2018. A member of the Democratic Party, he was co-chairman of President Bill Clinton's 1996 ...
appointed Rosenker to a 2-year term representing Virginia as a commissioner of the new Washington Metrorail Safety Commission. He was elected vice chairman of the commission on March 27, 2018.
From January 20, 2001, to November 2002 when President Bush nominated him for the NTSB, Rosenker served as deputy assistant to the President of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...
and ddirector of the White House Military Office
The White House Military Office (WHMO) is a department within the White House Office that provides military support for White House functions, including food service, presidential transportation, medical support, emergency medical services and hos ...
. Rosenker was traveling with President George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
on September 11, 2001
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commerc ...
.
Rosenker has served in the Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government headquartered at the Main Interior Building, located at 1849 C Street NW in Washington, D.C. It is responsible for the mana ...
, the Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. The FTC shares jurisdiction ov ...
, and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is an independent agency of the US government created in 1974 that regulates the U.S. derivatives markets, which includes futures, swaps, and certain kinds of options.
The Commodity Exchange Ac ...
as well as a brief assignment in the US Department of Transportation
The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT or DOT) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It is headed by the secretary of transportation, who reports directly to the President of the United States and ...
. Rosenker was appointed by President George H. W. Bush to serve on the American Battle Monuments Commission
The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) is an independent agency of the United States government that administers, operates, and maintains permanent U.S. military cemeteries, memorials and monuments primarily outside the United States.
...
. During his career in civilian Federal service Mr. Rosenker received eight presidential appointments, three of which required Senate confirmation.
Piedmont Airlines Flight 22 investigation
As NTSB chairman, Rosenker ordered the 2006/2007 re-opening of the controversial 1967 investigation of Piedmont Airlines Flight 22
Piedmont Airlines Flight 22 was a Piedmont Airlines Boeing 727-22 that collided with a twin-engine Cessna 310 on July 19, 1967, over Hendersonville, North Carolina, United States. Both aircraft were destroyed and all passengers and crew were ...
. In the official petition for reconsideration, Paul Houle (an amateur historian who asked for the investigation to be reopened) suggested that numerous important facts were missing from the original investigation, as well as apparent potential conflicts of interest that should have been found at the time. Despite the cockpit voice recorder conflicting with the original NTSB report, the NTSB's Office of Aviation Safety found no compelling reason to make any changes to the report. Rosenker subsequently wrote to Houle, sharing the Board's findings upholding the probable cause and contributing factors as presented in the original NTSB report.
Civilian work
Rosenker was Managing Director
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
of the Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
office for the United Network for Organ Sharing
The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is a non-profit, scientific and educational organization that administers the only Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) in the United States, established () by the U.S. Congress in 1984 b ...
(UNOS) from Oct 1999 to January 2001 when he joined the White House Staff. Prior to working for UNOS, Rosenker was the Vice President, Public Affairs for the Electronic Industries Alliance
The Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA; until 1997 Electronic Industries Association) was an American standards and trade organization composed as an alliance of trade associations for electronics manufacturers in the United States. They devel ...
for 23 years.
In April 2012, Rosenker was appointed by the Cruise Lines International Association
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is a cruise line trade association. It merged with International Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL) in 2006, forming an expanded organization incorporating the existing functions of both organizations. The ...
(CLIA) to be a member of a special "Panel of Experts" to provide, advice, evaluation and assessment of potential new safety measures and best practices for improved cruise ship operations.
He was a member of the board of directors of the FLYHT Aerospace Corporation and Guest Services Inc. Rosenker was named to the Sequa Corporation Board of Directors (a Carlyle Group portfolio company) in August 2009 and stepped down from that board in February 2016. He also served on the board of governors of the Aerospace Industries Association for several years.
Rosenker was the transportation safety analyst for the CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...
television and radio networks. Prior to that was a contributor to NBC News
NBC News is the news division of the American broadcast television network NBC. The division operates under NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, a division of NBCUniversal, which is, in turn, a subsidiary of Comcast. The news division's var ...
in the same role.[Sequa_Website](_blank)
/ref> Since retiring from the NTSB, he has appeared as a keynote speaker at numerous aviation and other transportation industry events. He has been a senior adviser to a number of industry sponsored coalitions advocating for safer roads.
Prior to his death, Rosenker was the president of the Transportation Safety Group LLC, a specialized consulting firm focused on transportation issues in the US and around the world.
He famously blamed the pilot and airlines safety standards in the Boeing 737 Max Lion Air crash and said “Certainly in the United States they understand how to operate this aircraft”.
References
External links
Image
"The Crash of Piedmont Airlines Flight 22," by Paul D. Houle
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rosenker, Mark
Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board
Living people
Recipients of the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Recipients of the Legion of Merit
United States Air Force generals
University of Maryland, College Park alumni
1946 births
George W. Bush administration personnel
Obama administration personnel