Inez Tenenbaum
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairwoman Inez Tenenbaum has announced she will not seek renomination when her term expires in October 2013. Tenenbaum was appointed in 2009 by President Barack Obama.
According to a Feb. 28 CPSC news release announcing her departure, Tenenbaum is credited with establishing “a leadership philosophy aimed at making the agency more accessible and transparent; making education and advocacy a priority; and being firm, but fair, in enforcing safety laws and working to keep unsafe products out of the hands of consumers.”
After taking office, Tenenbaum created a five-year strategic plan designed to make the CPSC more focused on injury prevention and to move the agency closer to being a recognized global leader in consumer product safety.
During her tenure, the commission focused on implementing significant portions of the 2008 Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act and has implemented 40 final rules since the act’s adoption. The CPSC oversees compliance of the mattress industry with flammability, children’s product and other standards.
In a speech at the International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization annual meeting, Tenenbaum said, “I plan to stay on as chairman until my successor is nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, so that I can be sure that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is in safe hands.”
