FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                    2000-116

 Chairman Levitt Names David Nelson Head of the SEC's Southeast
                         Regional Office

     Washington, DC, August 22, 2000 - Securities and Exchange
Commission Chairman Arthur Levitt today announced the selection
of David Nelson as Regional Director of the Commission's
Southeast Regional Office (SERO).  The region comprises offices
in Miami, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia, and has both enforcement
and regulatory programs in an eight-state area, and in Puerto
Rico and the Virgin Islands.  As Regional Director, Mr. Nelson
will oversee these activities as they are conducted throughout
the region.  Mr. Nelson succeeds Randall Fons, who recently
assumed the Regional Director's position in the Commission's
Central Region.  Mr. Nelson will take on his new duties
immediately.

     Mr. Nelson is currently the Deputy Regional Director of the
SERO, having assumed that post in 1997.  He joined the Commission
staff in 1984 as a Staff Attorney in the Division of Enforcement
in Washington, DC.  He subsequently served as a Branch Chief in
the Division and as Senior Counsel and Branch Chief in the SERO.
From 1995 to 1997, he was an Assistant Regional Director for
Enforcement in the SERO.  During his career with the SEC, Mr.
Nelson also has been selected to work with the U.S. Attorneys'
Offices in the Southern District of Florida and in the Southern
District of New York on a number of high profile criminal
securities fraud investigations.  While on detail in New York, he
was a member of the prosecution team that handled all phases of
the complex criminal investigation of insider trading and other
financial fraud that resulted in the criminal prosecutions of
Ivan Boesky, Drexel Burnham Lambert, Michael Milken, and others.

     Chairman Levitt said, "I am very pleased that David has
agreed to serve as Director of our Southeast Regional Office.
David is a lawyer with considerable talent and experience.  He is
also an excellent manager.  I am confident that he will carry out
the responsibilities of this important position with intelligence
and effectiveness and I look forward to continuing to work with
him."

     SEC Director of Enforcement Richard H. Walker said, "David
has had a distinguished career at the SEC.  He has been
responsible for a number of major enforcement cases that have had
an important impact on our securities markets and have materially
enhanced the Commission's efforts to protect investors in these
markets.  He will do an outstanding job leading the SEC's
Southeast Regional Office."

     Mr. Nelson, 43, earned his B.A. degree from Princeton
University in 1979 and his J.D. degree from Georgetown University
Law Center in 1983.

     For further information contact James A. Clarkson at (202)
942-4580.

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