The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Wednesdayannounced Steve Antonakes has been officially named deputy directorof the agency.

Antonakes had been serving as the acting deputy director of the CFPB since Jan. 31, when formerDeputy Director Raj Date left the agency.

Antonakes will continue to maintain responsibility for hisduties as the associate director for supervision, enforcement andfair lending at the CFPB.

“I am happy to announce that Steve will be the official deputydirector of the Bureau,” CFPB Director Richard Cordray said. “Hehas adeptly led—and will continue to lead— our supervision,enforcement and fair lending teams.

“Steve's experience, his knowledge, and his judgment are vitalin helping us achieve our mission of fostering a thriving,sustainable marketplace for both consumers and responsiblebusinesses.”

Antonakes joined the CFPB in November 2010 as the assistantdirector for large bank supervision and was named the associatedirector for supervision, enforcement and fair lending in June2012. He began his professional career as an entry-level bankexaminer with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Division of Banksin 1990, working his way up to Commissioner of Banks from December2003 until November 2010.

In addition, he served as the first state voting member of theFederal Financial Institutions Examination Council. as the vicechairman of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, and as afounding member of the governing board of the Nationwide MortgageLicensing System.

Date was criticized by House Financial Services Chairman Jeb Hensarling(R-Texas) and House Oversight and Government Reform CommitteeChairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), who accused him in an Aug. 1letter of profiting off CFPB rules he helped create by forming aninvestment firm that would securitize mortgages that don't meetqualified mortgage standards.

“Simply put, it appears that former CFPB employees are nowoffering financial products in a market sector created by the veryrules they were in a position to influence while working in seniorleadership positions at the CFPB,” the two Republican leaders saidin the letter to Cordray.