By: Mike Allen

Blake L. Gottesman, 28, formerly President Bush’s personal aide, is returning to succeed deputy chief of staff Joe Hagin, the White House announced Wednesday.

It is apparently the last senior staff announcement for this White House, since no more high-level departures are expected.

Gottesman, a Texan and longtime family friend, is the youngest person ever named to President Bush’s senior staff.

His title will be assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff.

Since leaving the White House in 2006, he graduated from Harvard Business School and has been working for a top private equity firm in Boston.

In his previous White House position, Gottesman turned a job that customarily has been somewhat junior — keeper of the bags and papers — into a management position that streamlined the president’s paper flow. He also built a rapid, fail-safe, thank-you-note process that has been continued and has brought the president considerable goodwill with people he meets around the world.

The selection was a creative one for a White House that found itself with a terrible gap in its infrastructure but an inability to recruit a traditional successor for the six months remaining.

When Gottesman left the White House, Time magazine called him “the unquestioned authority” on the president’s moods and desires, frequently consulted by the senior staff about how, when or whether a topic should be broached.

Hagin, who has served in his indispensable role throughout the Bush presidency, announced earlier this month that he would leave July 20 to take a corporate job. His office is the single junction where Bush’s personal life, presidency, ranch, security and military support all come together.

Hagin effectively has had the final call on a host of internal matters, from titles to BlackBerrys to the Air Force One manifest.

Similarly, as personal aide, Gottesman floated above all the political, military and advance-office silos that govern the president’s movements and was often the last word on the president’s desires, especially on the road when an “audible” was required.

Here is press secretary Dana Perino’s statement announcing the appointment:

“Blake is a trusted aide who understands the tremendous challenges of overseeing White House operations. He is well-respected in the White House and will do an outstanding job helping to ensure that the staff continues to effectively serve the American people throughout the remainder of the President’s Administration. President Bush appreciates Blake’s willingness to return to the White House and continue his service to our country.

“Blake worked as an Associate at Berkshire Partners LLC in Boston. Prior to this, he served as Special Assistant to the President and Personal Aide. Earlier in his career, he served as Personal Aide to the Chief of Staff and Executive Assistant to the Director of Oval Office Operations. Blake received his MBA from Harvard Business School.”

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