51.   Groomed as a numbers man, he believes that his people skills were crucial to winning the top post.

52.   He is the first Democrat ever to win the top post.

53.   He has appointed a large number of women, blacks, Hispanics and Asian Americans to top posts in the federal government.

54.   He noted he had dealt with all of these issues in his top posts on the Finance and Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committees.

55.   He replaced Van Miert as the competition regulator last year, after accusations of corruption led to a complete overhaul of all the top posts.

56.   He held a number of top state posts while in private practice, including deputy attorney general, deputy treasurer and insurance commissioner.

57.   He will retain the chief operating officer title after he takes over the top post in January.

58.   Health Systems International Inc. hasnamed Michael E. Gallagher to the top post at Health Net, its Woodland Hills, Calif.-based health maintenance subsidiary.

59.   He stepped down as chief executive this year, and the company named John Brincko, a former Barneys executive, to the top post.

60.   He took over the top post from Horace Deets, a former Jesuit priest who headed the organization for more than a decade.