FACTBOX-U.S. Republican presidential candidate Trump's economic team

08/11/2016 16:02

Aug 11 (Reuters) - U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Thursday announced additions to his team of economic advisers, adding women to a group that had previously been criticized for not including them.

His team includes major Republican donors, a hedge fund manager, a former top steel executive, and a former high-ranking U.S. government official.

Here are some facts on members of his economic team:

JOHN PAULSON, HEDGE FUND MANAGER

Paulson is best known on Wall Street for his bet against the overheated housing market in 2007 that netted him and his investors billions of dollars in profits. But Paulson's calls on stocks and the economy have been less accurate lately. His investments have lost some $15 billion in assets in the last five years, leaving his Paulson & Co Inc hedge fund with roughly $13 billion at the end of June. He is known for making contrarian bets and being patient.

He has been one of only a handful of hedge fund managers to have publicly endorsed Trump, with many others saying privately that they are still on the fence or leaning toward his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.

STEVE FEINBERG, PRIVATE EQUITY FUND MANAGER

Feinberg is chief executive officer of Cerberus Capital Management LP, a private equity firm he co-founded in 1992.

He headed the investment firm during its failed takeover of automaker Chrysler in 2007. The investment firm served as Chrysler's majority owner until the troubled car maker was restructured in a government-sponsored bankruptcy in 2009.

Feinberg had promised to revive the company, according to a New York Times profile, but instead lost billions. (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/09/business/09cerb.html?mwrsm=Email) Feinberg has defended his role to try to save the carmaker. He ultimately had to appeal to Washington for help.

DAVID MALPASS, FORMER TREASURY, STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL

Malpass served under two previous Republican administrations, first as a deputy assistant Treasury secretary for President Ronald Reagan and later as a deputy assistant Secretary of State for President George H.W. Bush.

Malpass, in a CNBC interview on Friday, called for greater infrastructure spending as well as tax cuts, trade reform, regulatory reform and energy reform, although he gave few specfics. "We need more effective spending, and Trump wants to do that - to have stronger finances for the country," he said.

Malpass has been a vocal critic of the U.S. Federal Reserve's monetary policy since the financial crisis, in particular its large bond holdings.

Malpass, who was also chief economist at investment bank Bear Stearns, now runs Encima Global Llc, an investment consulting firm.

PETER NAVARRO, PROFESSOR

Navarro is the only adviser on the list with a Ph.D. in economics, and the only one who has spent most of his life as an academic. He earned his doctorate at Harvard University and is now a professor of economics and public policy at the University of California, Irvine's business school.

Navarro has written nine books, three of them critical about China's effect on the rest of the world, including "Death by China: Confronting the Dragon - A Global Call to Action." He thinks the United States should be tougher on trade and intellectual property theft, and has proposed slapping a 45 percent tariff on Chinese imports.

Navarro recently wrote in an opinion piece in the Los Angeles Times that Trump would crack down on any country "that cheats on its trade deals using practices such as currency manipulation and illegal export subsidies." (http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-navarro-trump-trade-china-tariffs-20160721-snap-story.html)

HOWARD LORBER, HOLDING COMPANY CEO

Lorber is president and CEO of holding company Vector Group Ltd, whose three subsidiaries make cigarettes as well as e-cigarettes. It also operates two real estate subsidiaries: a real estate investment company and a real estate brokerage firm.

A fellow New Yorker, Trump's campaign has mentioned Lorber as one of Trump's best friends. (http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/13/nyregion/for-donald-trump-friends-in-few-places.html)

The two traveled together to Russia in the 1990s, according to news reports.

STEVEN MNUCHIN, INVESTMENT MANAGER

A former partner at Goldman Sachs Group Inc who now works in entertainment financing, Mnuchin is chairman and CEO of private investment firm Dune Capital Management LP.

Trump named Mnuchin, who had a long history of political donations to Democrats, including to Hillary Clinton, as his finance chair in May.

Mnuchin has said he has had a personal and professional relationship with Trump for more than 15 years.

DAN DIMICCO, FORMER STEEL EXECUTIVE

DiMicco is the former chief executive and executive chairman of steel producer Nucor Corp, one of the biggest U.S. steelmakers.

His outspoken push for tougher U.S. trade policies to support domestic manufacturing and his fierce anti-China rhetoric have made him one of the most high-profile executives in the steel industry.

In recent years, he has taken his campaign for new trade rules online and has publicly endorsed Trump's call for a tougher approach on trade.

"You don't win a Trade War with appeasement or more Free Trade agreements," DiMicco wrote in a July 10 blog post on his website, www.dandimicco.com.

STEPHEN MOORE, FOUNDER, CLUB FOR GROWTH

Moore is one of the leading conservative economic voices in the United States. He embraces tax cuts as key to economic growth, as well as free trade and immigration reform.

Moore founded the anti-tax advocacy group Club for Growth, where he served until he left the organization in 2004. He later served as a member of The Wall Street Journal editorial board.

He is currently a fellow at the conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation, focusing on economic growth.

TOM BARRACK, REAL ESTATE FINANCIER

Barrack is a longtime friend of Trump and a fellow hotel developer.

He is the founder and executive chairman of private equity firm Colony Capital Inc and is co-chairman of the board of trustees of Colony Starwood Homes.

Barrack spoke out in favor of Trump at the Republican National Convention in July, but afterwards his company announced it was dropping out of Trump's Old Post Office hotel project in Washington, according to a report in The Washington Post. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/digger/wp/2016/07/26/trumps-friend-tom-barrack-praised-him-at-the-rnc-convention-but-pulled-out-of-his-washington-hotel-project/)

WILBUR ROSS, INVESTOR

Ross is known for acquiring Bethlehem Steel and other steel companies, combining them to form the largest steel producer into the United States, which he later sold.

Ross, a billionaire, also invests in industries such as coal, telecommunications and textiles. He is also famous as an art collector. Ross is advising Trump on trade policy and has written opinion pieces with Trump adviser Navarro.

STEVEN ROTH, REAL ESTATE INVESTOR

Roth founded New York real estate investment trust Vornado Realty Trust.

Roth owns an office building with Trump, who has praised him publicly during his presidential run and called him "my man," according to a Crains New York report in April. (http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20160420/BLOGS02/160429992/why-vornados-steven-roth-was-at-donald-trumps-victory-speech-last-night)

DIANE HENDRICKS, BUSINESS OWNER

Hendricks, a Wisconsin billionaire and Republican donor, is the head of the largest U.S. wholesale roofing supply company, ABC Supply.

Hendricks also owns the Hendricks Holding Co, which includes businesses in transportation, real estate, insurance, restaurants and movies.

She was a key donor to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and this year was named to a group of major donors fund-raising for Trump.

DARLENE JORDAN, PHILANTHROPIST

Jordan, an attorney and former Massachusetts assistant attorney general, runs a foundation that gives grants to programs in the arts, education and health.

She is also a prominent fund-raiser in Republican politics. In 2008 and 2012, she served as national finance co-chairwoman for Mitt Romney's presidential runs.

BETSY MCCAUGHEY, POLITICIAN/PUNDIT

McCaughey, the former lieutenant governor of New York, is known as a prominent critic of President Barack Obama's healthcare overhaul.

McCaughey, who has a PhD in constitutional history, has also worked for conservative think tanks and appeared on television as a pundit.

BROOKE ROLLINS, THINK TANK LEADER

Rollins leads the Texas Public Policy Foundation, an Austin-based free-market think tank.

She previously worked for former Texas Governor Rick Perry as deputy general counsel and policy director.

ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI, HEDGE FUND INVESTOR

Scaramucci, already a Trump fund-raiser and media booster, is the founder of SkyBridge Capital, a $12.5 billion New York-based firm that invests in hedge funds.

He is an unusually public figure for the secretive hedge fund industry, organizing the annual "SALT" conference in Las Vegas and hosting "Wall Street Week" on FOX Business Network.

CARLA SANDS, INVESTOR

Sands runs Vintage Capital Group, an investment firm that restructures or turns around struggling companies.

Sands is also chairman of the board of directors of a women's organization that supports a California music center. Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger named her to the board of the California Cultural and Historical Endowment.

JUDY SHELTON, ECONOMIST

Shelton directs the "Sound Money Project" at the free-market Atlas Network.

She was a staff economist for the National Commission on Economic Growth and Tax Reform, founded by former Representative Jack Kemp, and has a PhD in business administration from the University of Utah.

LIZ UIHLEIN, PACKAGING COMPANY PRESIDENT

Uihlein, of Wisconsin, is president of packing materials company Uline. She was a contributor to Governor Scott Walker's presidential bid and joined a group raising money for Trump this year.

Uihlein and her husband founded their company in their basement in 1980, according to its website.

KATHLEEN HARTNETT WHITE, THINK TANK SCHOLAR

White leads the Center for Energy and the Environment at the free-market Texas Public Policy Foundation.

She spent six years on the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and also served on a Texas water board under then-Governor George W. Bush.

(Reporting by Emily Stephenson, Svea Herbst-Bayliss in Boston, Allison Martell in Toronto, Lindsay Dunsmuir in Washington and Olivia Oran and Catherine Ngai in New York; Additional reporting by Herb Lash in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler and Jonathan Oatis)

08/11/2016 16:02