President Barack Obama sends nominations to Senate for previously announced...

President Barack Obama sends nominations to Senate for previously announced appointments of: Anthony Foxx, mayor of Charlotte, N.C., to be secretary of transportation, replacing Ray LaHood; Michael Froman, PSP Capital Partners, to be U.S. Trade Representative, replacing Ronald Kirk; and House Judiciary Committee member Mel Watt, D-N.C., to be director of Federal Housing Finance Agency for a five-year term … Paul de Sa, ex-FCC, was hired in August by Sanford Bernstein as vice president-senior research analyst.

Liberty Global hires Tom Mockridge, ex-News Corp., as CEO of Virgin Media once it’s acquired by Liberty, succeeding Neil Berkett, who remains CEO until deal closes and had previously said he was retiring, with Liberty CEO Mike Fries to be on new operating committee that will oversee Virgin Media and also include Executive Vice President-European Broadband Operations Diederik Karsten and Chief Technology Officer Balan Nair.

Cox Media Group promotes: Kim Guthrie to executive vice president-radio; Jane Williams, executive vice president-TV; and Marian Pittman, vice president, TV news & marketing … U.S. Bancorp’s Elavon global payments provider promotes Simon Haslam to president and CEO, succeeding Mike Passilla, who recently left company … Allied Telesis triple-play networks firm hires Mike Dunbar, ex-VMware, as president-sales, services and marketing … Nexstar hires Richard Engberg, ex-Univision Communications, as vice president/general manager, WMBD-TV Peoria and associated digital services … Polaris Wireless software-based wireless location firm adds Victor Hwang of Industry Ventures, which recently invested in the company, to board … Lobbying registration: Verizon, Daly Consulting Group, effective April 1.