A native of Morgantown, West Virginia, Van Zeck has served as Commissioner of the Public Debt since February 15, 1998, when he was appointed by then-Secretary of the Treasury Robert E. Rubin. Zeck attended West Virginia University in Morgantown and received a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and business administration in 1970.

 

Zeck has worked for the Bureau of the Public Debt in a variety of staff and managerial positions. He began his federal service with the Treasury Department internal audit staff in 1971 and subsequently held positions in data processing, marketable securities operations and administration. Zeck headed the departmental team that, in cooperation with the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, implemented Treasury Direct, an automated on-line book-entry securities system that allowed the department to eliminate physical securities for new marketable offerings. Zeck served as Assistant Commissioner (Financing) from 1982 until being named deputy commissioner on April 23, 1987.

 

As Commissioner of the Public Debt, Zeck oversees the sale of Treasury securities to finance the public debt, directs debt servicing activities nationwide, administers the regulations governing the government securities market, and accounts for public debt principal and interest costs. The debt financing operations are performed directly by the bureau and by Federal Reserve Banks acting as fiscal agents of the Treasury.