28 January 2022, Washington: Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to appoint five U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regional positions, including four Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Directors and one Rural Development (RD) State Director.
“As we work to build a better America and advance our mission, USDA needs qualified and talented people in our regional offices,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “These five individuals have the experience and talent to serve on the front lines of FSA and RD offices in their respective states. We are thrilled to have them at USDA.”
FSA State Executive Directors oversee Farm Service Agency operations and agricultural policy implementation in the state. Each State Executive Director works with the State Committee to administer FSA programs and County office operations, develops and maintains stakeholder relationships with customers and other agencies and governments.
RD State Directors serve as the chief executive officer of Rural Development in the states and territories and are tasked with carrying out the mission of Rural Development to the benefit of everyone in rural America. In conjunction with the guidance and support of the National Office, State Directors are responsible for promoting the mission and strategic goals of Rural Development and provide key leadership to develop and support a productive, diverse, and inclusive state workforce.
Deborah Tannenbaum has been appointed FSA State Executive Director for Florida
Most recently, Deborah Tannenbaum served as the Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, where she oversaw daily operations of more than 1,000 agency employees across six regulatory divisions. She previously served as the founding Executive Director of the Florida Peanut Federation, an agricultural trade association that promotes, educates, and markets to the public the benefits of Florida-grown peanuts. Tannenbaum also worked as Chief of Staff at a Washington-based governmental affairs firm and as a Senior Fellow for the 57th Presidential Inaugural Committee.
Dennis McKinney has been appointed FSA State Executive Director for Kansas
Dennis McKinney is a Kansas farmer and cattle producer whose family’s farm operates in southern Kiowa and northern Comanche counties. He served as a Kiowa County Commissioner from 1989 to 1992 before being appointed to the Kansas House of Representatives, where he served until 2009. In 2009, McKinney was appointed as the 38th State Treasurer of Kansas. A resident of Greensburg, he has also served as a member of the board of the Kiowa County Memorial Hospital and the Kansas Historical Foundation.
Robert Andrzejczak has been appointed FSA State Executive Director for New Jersey
Born and raised in Cape May, New Jersey, Robert Andrzejczak joined the United States Army as an Infantryman in 2005. On his second deployment to Iraq, he was severely wounded when his convoy was attacked. After two years of recovering from his injuries at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C., Andrzejczak returned home to New Jersey. He was active in multiple community-based service organizations before being appointed to serve in the New Jersey General Assembly in 2012. While in the Assembly, Andrzejczak served as Chairman of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. He was appointed to the New Jersey Senate in 2018 and served until 2019.
Jon Wyss has been appointed FSA State Executive Director for Washington
Most recently, Jon Wyss worked for Gebbers Farms as an analyst and government affairs director. He also served as the chief deputy assessor for Spokane County and temporarily served as a Washington State Senator for the 6th legislative district. Wyss also served as the U.S. Apple Association North Region Director for ten years, as Chairman of the Okanogan Long Term Recovery Group, as President of Okanogan County Farm Bureau and as a Washington State Farm Bureau Board Member. Additionally, he has been appointed to serve as an advisor to various legislative committees at the local, state, and national level for over 18 years. Wyss attended Lubbock Christian University in Lubbock, Texas.
Rural Development:
Glenn Pauley has been appointed RD State Director for Wyoming
Glenn Pauley most recently worked at the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, where he focused on collaboration with federal, state, and local partners to develop and implement Wyoming’s State Wildlife Action Plan. He previously served as an executive director for two ranchland conservation organizations: the Southern Alberta Land Trust Society and the Wyoming Stock Growers Agricultural Land Trust. Pauley also served as the founding Board Chairman for the Partnership of Rangeland Trusts (PORT), an organization established to leverage national resources for ranchland conservation. He has a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology and Management from the University of Wyoming and master’s degree in Environmental Science from the University of Calgary.
