By Della Hasselle
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — Robert Steel, an undersecretary in President George W. Bush’s Treasury Department and former CEO of Wachovia Corporation, will be named New York City’s deputy mayor for economic development Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Steel will be the third person in this position since Mayor Michael Bloomberg became mayor, marking a mass exodus of officials in the Mayor’s circle since he swore into office in 2002.
Steel will replace Robert Lieber, who plans to return to private practices, WSJ reported. The mayor’s first deputy mayor for economic development, Dan Doctoroff, is now running for Bloomberg L.P., the mayor’s private company.
Bloomberg has lost all but one top aide at City Hall, First Deputy Mayor Patty Harris, since he launched his campaign in June 2001.
The mayor replaced two other officials since he began his third term on New Year’s Day. Stephen Goldsmith, former mayor of Indianapolis, replaced Ed Skyler, Bloomberg’s longtime confidante, in April. In March, Howard Wolfson replaced Kevin Sheekey as deputy mayor for government affairs.
Despite the recent loss of several key members, the mayor has pledged to make this term his most successful, WSJ reported.
