WASHINGTON – Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett today announced the appointment of Gil Gonzalez as Chief of Staff.
Gonzalez has more than 30 years of executive experience in community economic development. Most recently, he served as a senior consultant with the Rural Empowerment Advancement Program – an organization working with rural businesses, communities and economic development corporations in Texas.
Gonzalez also was Director of the Rural Business Program at the University of Texas-San Antonio, a program that provides research and strategic planning services, as well as business and resource development assistance to small- to medium-sized businesses, economic development corporations, communities and municipalities. Prior to that, Gonzalez served as Deputy Under Secretary/Acting Under Secretary for Rural Development from 2001 to 2005. Afterward, he coordinated disaster response, recovery and long-term rebuilding efforts from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the Louisiana and Mississippi Gulf Coast.
This leadership appointment is effective Jan. 22, 2018. USDA Rural Development encourages partners and stakeholder groups to reach out to Gonzalez in his new role to build on existing partnerships and facilitate new relationships.