In the first time in years, the leadership of the Consumer Product Safety Commission is at full strength with the swearing in of two new commissioners -- Robert Adler and Anne Northup. The fourth and fifth commissioners took office this week joining Nancy Nord, Thomas Moore and this administration's new chairman, Inez Tenenbaum.

“It is a new day at CPSC, as the commission has not had a full complement of commissioners since the 1980s,” said Tenenbaum. “I look forward to working with my fellow commissioners to promote and ensure product safety for America’s consumers.”

Adler, who worked at the CPSC earlier in his career and who served six terms on the board of Consumers Union,  publisher of Consumer Reports, most recently worked as a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s business school where he taught ethics, negotiation, business law and consumer protection. “I’m delighted to rejoin an agency whose mission I consider to be one of the most important in all of government. I very much look forward to working with Chairman Tenenbaum and the other commissioners in promoting product safety for American consumers,” he said.

Northup is a former congresswoman from Kentucky. Before that she served in the state legislature. “The new law that expands the responsibilities of the commission, the increased number of imports, and the fast-paced changes in the market make the work of the commission even more challenging and important,” said Northup. “Protecting American families and especially their children is a noble mission. I am honored to be joining the commission at such a historic time.”

Adler and Northup were nominated by President Obama and were confirmed by the Senate earlier this month. Adler’s term expires in October 2014 and Northup’s term expires in October 2011.