Youngkin names labor secretary

Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin announced Thursday that former U.S. Labor Department Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management George “Bryan” Slater is his pick for Virginia’s secretary of labor.

“Workforce development will play a crucial part of jumpstarting our economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Bryan’s experience and leadership will be critical to the development of talent, training of workers and protection of Virginia’s right-to-work laws that will attract investment to Virginia,” Youngkin said in a statement.

Slater served as assistant secretary for administration and management for the U.S. Labor Department beginning in 2017, and beforehand as assistant secretary of administration for the U.S. Transportation Department. In George W. Bush administration, Slater was White House liaison for the U.S. Labor Department, and in the George H.W. Bush administration, he served as a congressional relations officer for the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department.

Slater was the commonwealth’s secretary of administration for former Gov. James Gilmore. Prior to his governorship, when Gilmore was attorney general, Slater served as director of administration for his office.

Slater has also served as executive director of the Republican Party of Georgia.

He has served in senior positions for several nonprofit organizations, including Americans United for Life, Freedom Partners Shared Services and Generation Opportunity.

Slater received the 2007 Innovation in Government Award from Virginia Commonwealth University’s L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs and has served on VCU’s board of visitors.

He received his associate degree from Ferrum College and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Richmond.