President Barack Obama has appointed St. Louis attorney Kevin O'Malley as U.S. ambassador to Ireland.
The White House announced O'Malley's nomination Thursday. O'Malley has been an attorney for over 35 years and currently works at the firm of Greensfelder, Hemker and Gale.
In the 1970s and 1980s, he served as an assistant U.S. attorney in St. Louis. In 2009, Gov. Jay Nixon appointed O'Malley to the Missouri Board of Healing Arts, which regulates physicians. He is the only non-physician member of the board.
O'Malley's nomination as ambassador was praised Thursday by Nixon, as well as by U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill and state Attorney General Chris Koster.
His appointment is subject to confirmation by the U.S. Senate.