Eric Bost was sworn in as the under secretary for food, nutrition, and consumer services. He succeeded Shirley Watkins, who held that position from August 1997 until January 2001, and who is now working in Silver Spring, Md., as a strategic business nutrition consultant for Southern Educational Services, which is based in Memphis, Tenn.

     Before joining USDA, from August 1997 until he was sworn in to this position in June 2001 Bost served as commissioner and chief executive officer of the Texas Department of Human Services, headquartered in Austin. As its commissioner, Bost headed one of the largest human services agencies in the country, with more than 15,000 employees. From 1994-97 he was deputy director of the Arizona Department of Economic Security, a human services agency based in Phoenix with responsibilities that included welfare reform, child welfare, managed care programs, long-term health care, aging and community services, and protective services for children and adults. He was assistant director of the Arizona Department of Economic Security's Division of Developmental Disabilities from 1993-94.

     Bost served as director of the Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Administration with the District of Columbia's Department of Human Services from 1992-93. From 1989-92 he was director of the Western Center, a state mental retardation facility in Canonsburg, Pa. He served as the superintendent of the Rainier School, a facility in Buckley, Wash., for persons with developmental disabilities, from 1988-89. From 1986-88 he was developmental disabilities and mental retardation director of the Utah State Training School in American Fork, Utah.

     Bost served as the residential services director of the Gulf Coast Center in Ft. Myers, Fla., from 1982-86, after having served as program director of mental retardation services at Cherry Hospital in Goldsboro, N.C., from 1980-82. From 1977-80 he worked as a mental retardation habilitation coordinator at the Murdoch Center in Butner, N.C. He began his career as a social worker at the Caswell Center in Kinston, N.C., from 1974-77, and then served as director of its Mental Retardation Unit during 1980.

     A native of Concord, N.C., Bost holds a B.A. degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an M.A. degree in special education from the University of South Florida.