Cliff Northup, who headed the NCUA's lobbying and publicrelations during the first term of President George W. Bush, diedSunday after a long battle with cancer.

Northup, 61, ran the NCUA's Office of Public and CongressionalAffairs, from 2001-2005. He had also served as a lobbyist forCUNA.

“Cliff was an integral part of our leadership team during theDollar years at NCUA. He was at the forefront of many of oursuccesses, both on the Hill and with our fellow regulators. Hewas a true credit union believer, a great guy and a dearfriend. He will be missed,'' former NCUA Chairman DennisDollar said in a statement.

“I truly enjoyed working with Cliff,” said NCUA Chair DebbieMatz. “He had a genuine desire to get to know everyone he came incontact with; and he was engaging in conversations whether thetopics involved credit union issues or life in general. Ithought of Cliff not only as a co-worker, but as a friend. Hispassing truly saddens me.”

Northup, who was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up inBethesda, Md., had a varied career that included stints as acongressional aide, Treasury Department official and lobbyist.

He was a legislative assistant to Sen. Bill Armstrong (R-Colo.)and was deputy assistant treasury secretary during theadministration of President George H.W. Bush.

He was also a lobbyist for CUNA and with the firm of Boland andMadigan.

After leaving the NCUA, he was director of legislative andintergovernmental affairs at the U.S. Mint from 2006 until earlierthis year, when he started his own consulting firm.

Northup received his bachelor's degree from the University ofNorth Carolina at Chapel Hill and served in the U.S. Navy.

He is survived by his wife, Sandy, and two children.

Funeral services for Northup will be held at 11 a.m. Friday atGeorgetown Presbyterian Church.