Maxine Moul announced today she is retiring as the Nebraska USDA Rural Development State Director, effective January 20, 2017.
"I am proud of our accomplishments during the Obama administration. We worked to transform USDA Rural Development into a more effective agency that strives daily to improve the quality of life of rural Nebraska.” Moul added, “This agency is well positioned to continue to provide important services to rural residents in Nebraska, with a strong staff of competent, experienced employees.”
On June 29, 2009, Moul was appointed to the position of State Director for USDA Rural Development by President Barack Obama. In this position she managed a staff providing more than 40 housing, business, electric, telecommunications, water and wastewater and community facility programs designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities. During that time, Moul and her staff managed a grant, loan and loan guarantee housing portfolio of $853 million and made new investments of nearly $2 billion that positively impacted communities across rural Nebraska.
“I have enjoyed this job tremendously,” said Moul. “I won’t forget meeting homeowners moving into their first home with a USDA loan, helping residents of communities who have clean healthy water piped to their home for the first time in their lives, or the business owners we helped to expand their operations. I will cherish those memories and forever value the opportunity given to me to help our rural communities.”
During her tenure, Moul was an avid supporter of the programs offered by USDA Rural Development. The Nebraska Single Family Housing program helped 10,235 rural Nebraska families obtain nearly $920 million in guaranteed and direct loans. The Agency’s energy efficiency programs helped rural businesses, farmers and ranchers save on energy costs, through 1,431 in loans and grants totaling $18.3 million. An additional $16.8 million was expended to support and ensure an expanding production of advanced biofuels. Two regions of the state, in Northeast and Southeast Nebraska engaged in the USDA Stronger Economies Together program to help them map their future, post-recession.
“USDA Rural Development always excelled at financing infrastructure and during the last eight years we continued that important work. We financed more than 130 water and wastewater projects that secured cleaner water service to tens of thousands of Nebraskans. Many community hospitals, community centers and libraries received grants and loans from USDA. We made historic upgrades to rural energy services and expanded broadband services across the state,” said Moul.
The Multi-Family Housing (MFH) program provides financing to develop rental housing in rural areas for persons with very-low, low and moderate incomes. Funds are also available to construct a new facility or to rehabilitate Rural Development financed apartments or convert existing buildings into apartments. Nebraska has 195 rental complexes financed through Rural Development that provide 3,139 affordable rental units.
Moul was no stranger to the state’s highways and byways as she visited Nebraska rural communities from Falls City to Chadron during her time at USDA. She began working on community and economic development 45 years ago, when she and her husband, Francis, bought the Syracuse, Nebraska Journal-Democrat newspaper. As a public servant, she was Nebraska’s Lt. Governor, Director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development and a founder of the Nebraska Community Foundation.
President Obama’s plan for rural America has brought about historic investment and resulted in stronger rural communities. Under the President’s leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have empowered rural America to continue leading the way – strengthening America’s economy, small towns and rural communities. USDA’s investments in rural communities support the rural way of life that stands as the backbone of our American values.