Obama nominates Dandekar for bank post

Swati Dandekar, a former Iowa state legislator, has been nominated by President Barack Obama to be United States executive director with the Asian Development Bank.

Dandekar, 64, of Marion will hold the rank of ambassador. Her nomination will require confirmation by the U.S. Senate.

'I am honored to be nominated,” Dandekar said Friday. 'I will do my best for Iowa and the United States, and make Iowans proud.

'When I work on the issues of energy and infrastructure in a given country, I'm going to work with that NGO (non-governmental organization) to make sure they understand what the United States is doing with them. I will work to ensure communication and transparency.”

The Asian Development Bank, with headquarters in Metro Manila, Philippines, was established in August 1966 to facilitate economic development in Asia. It is a regional development bank with 67 members, of which 48 are from within Asia and the Pacific and 19 outside.

Dandekar's nomination will be supported by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa.

'Swati Dandekar has served Iowa in many ways over a long period of time and demonstrated a gift for building relationships that lead to productive dialogue and initiatives,” Grassley said in a statement.

'I've no doubt she will take on this new responsibility with the same sort of dedication and resourcefulness. The president has made a good decision in selecting Swati Dandekar to represent the United States in this capacity.”

Dandekar served on the Iowa Utilities Board from 2011 to 2013. Before joining the Utilities Board, she served in the Iowa Senate from 2009 to 2011 and in the Iowa House of Representatives from 2002 to 2008.

From 2000 to 2003, Dandekar was a member of the Vision Iowa board of directors. She also served on the Linn-Mar Community School District Board of Education from 1996 to 2002 and was a member of the Iowa Association of School Boards from 2000 to 2002.

Dandekar, a native of India, received a bachelor of science from Nagpur University and a postgraduate diploma from Bombay University.