Washington, DC - The Federal Trade Commission announced today that David C. Shonka, the Principal Deputy General Counsel at the agency, has received the 2015 Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive.

“As this prestigious award demonstrates, the FTC is very fortunate to have the services of Principal Deputy Counsel David Shonka,” FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez said. “He has provided sage counsel to the agency on a wide range of issues and advanced the federal government’s electronic discovery protocols through his work with the Sedona Conference and intergovernmental organizations.”

Shonka oversees the office of the General Counsel’s Litigation, Legal Counsel, and Opinions & Analysis groups, and its FOIA, employment law, and Energy Counsel staff.  He is a member of the Administrative Conference of the United States, and the Sedona Conference, an institute for the study of law and policy in antitrust and intellectual property rights. Shonka has been the FTC’s Assistant General Counsel for Litigation, an associate in a Washington, D.C. law firm, and a litigator in the US Department of Justice’s Civil Division. At the FTC, he has advised the Commission on a full range of issues, litigated competition and consumer protection cases, tried cases in administrative proceedings, and represented the agency in appellate cases.

The President’s award is among the highest honors given to members of the Senior Executive Service, who serve in key positions between top Presidential appointees and the rest of the federal work force. Each year, the President presents the award to those who have distinguished themselves by achieving results and consistently demonstrating strength, integrity, industry, and a relentless commitment to excellence in public service.