New Yorker Jacob Lew to be nominated as treasury secretary

New Yorker Jacob Lew to be nominated as treasury secretary

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Lew, who goes by "Jack," was hailed as "brilliant," "conscientious," and "curious" by former teachers last year when President Obama selected him as his fourth chief of staff.

The White House signaled Wednesday that it would nominate native New Yorker Jacob Lew to be the nation’s next treasury secretary.

If Lew, whose nomination is expected to be made official Thursday, is ultimately confirmed by lawmakers, he will be the first graduate of New York City public schools to be the country’s top fiscal officer.

Lew, who goes by "Jack," is the son of a Polish immigrant who landed on Ellis Island in 1916.

He grew up on Yellowstone Blvd. in Queens and is a 1972 graduate of Forest Hills High School. The father of two still owns a home in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, catching a train home every Friday to spend weekends with his wife.

Last year, when President Obama selected him to be his fourth chief of staff â€" and the first Orthodox Jew to serve as the White House’s gatekeeper â€" his former teachers told the Daily News he was “brilliant,” “conscientious” and “curious” during his school days.

He was also remembered as someone who got along easily with others â€" a trait that could prove key if he replaces outgoing Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.

The 57-year-old, a seasoned veteran of Washington, would enter the post at a critical time. Lew is expert in the intricacies of the federal budget, an essential skill set as the domestic and international economic downturns that marked Obama’s first term yield to efforts to address the alarmingly high U.S. debt.

Lew, a two-time White House budget director â€" first during the Clinton years, then under Obama â€" is a veteran of the 2011 negotiations with Congress over the nation’s debt limit. If confirmed, he will likely play a central role as the Obama administration and Congress soon enter another round of contentious negotiations over raising the $ 16.4 trillion debt ceiling.

Lew began his career at age 12, volunteering for Eugene McCarthy’s 1968 presidential campaign. He graduated from Harvard and Georgetown University Law Center. His many positions in Washington also include serving as a senior adviser to former House Speaker Tip O’Neill and later as a deputy secretary of state under Hillary Clinton.

klee@nydailynews.com