The Following Is the Statement of William H. Donaldson, Immediate Past Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission

NEW YORK, Dec. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- "President-elect Obama's nomination of Mary Schapiro to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission is an outstanding appointment. Her long record of achievement as a financial regulator, and her universally respected personal integrity make her an ideal candidate for that position at this most crucial time for the Commission, the industry it regulates, and the nation."