Jessica Sabbath// June 23, 2016//
Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore will be the commonwealth’s next Secretary of Commerce and Trade, Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced Thursday.
Haymore, who has served as secretary of agriculture for both McAuliffe and former Gov. Bob McDonnell, will succeed Maurice Jones. Jones is leaving to become CEO of Local Initiatives Support Corp. in September.
“As Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, Todd Haymore has been instrumental in making those key industries innovative and robust sectors of the new Virginia economy,” McAuliffe said in a statement. “Todd brings the right combination of economic development experience, global trade understanding, and administrative expertise to build on the outstanding success Secretary Maurice Jones has achieved as a member of my cabinet.”
Haymore was first appointed agriculture secretary in 2010 by McDonnell and was reappointed in 2014 by McAuliffe.
Prior to his appointment as secretary, Haymore served as commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services under former Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine.