Commissioner Thomas J. Erickson
Thomas J. Erickson was sworn in as a Commissioner on June 21, 1999. Mr. Erickson was nominated by President Clinton on February 5, 1999, and confirmed by the Senate on June 17, 1999, to a term expiring April 2003.
A native of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Mr. Erickson received his B.A. degree in Government and International Affairs from Augustana College in 1984 and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of South Dakota School of Law in 1987. Mr. Erickson is a member of the State Bar of South Dakota and of the District of Columbia Bar.
After graduating from law school, Mr. Erickson served as Legislative Assistant to the United States Senator Thomas A. Daschle. Prior to joining the CFTC in September 1997 as the Director, Office of Legislative Affairs, Mr. Erickson served as Assistant to the President/Legal Counsel at the National Grain Trade Council (NGTC). As Legal Counsel to the NGTC, Mr. Erickson represented the grain trade and futures markets on matters of agricultural policy, futures trading, international trade, grain quality, and tax issues.