Mr. Scher served as U. S. Special Trade Negotiator and chief of staff of the Commerce Department in the Clinton administration. Mr. Scher previously held senior staff positions in the U.S. Senate, including chief of staff to Senator Max Baucus. He has been responsible for bilateral and multilateral agricultural negotiations on behalf of the United States, and has led U.S. negotiating teams worldwide, developing agreements to expand market opportunities for American agricultural, food, and biotechnology products, including the agreement for China's entry into the World Trade Organization.