Kevin Herglotz was named USDA's deputy chief of staff and director of communications. This is a newly-developed position designed to provide broad communications leadership to the Department.

     Before joining USDA, from January 1999 until his recent appointment, Herglotz was the director of public affairs for Vons, a Safeway company headquartered in Arcadia, Calif., and the largest subsidiary of Safeway Inc. In that position he served as spokesperson for Vons and directed its public affairs, media relations, government affairs, customer service, and community giving programs. He was director of communications for the California Department of Food and Agriculture, based in Sacramento, Calif., from 1995-98--during the tenure of [then] California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman--where he managed its public affairs office, as that Department marketed the largest and most diverse food and agriculture industry in the nation.

     Herglotz worked as a media relations and political advisor, based in Sacramento, to [then] California Gov. Pete Wilson (R) from 1994-95. During 1993 he served as the press secretary to [then] U.S. Rep. Jay Dickey (R-Ark.) in Washington, DC. He worked as a press assistant in Washington, DC, to the Bush/Quayle Re-Election Campaign during 1992. He served a total of 10 years in the United States Air Force, four years active duty and six with the Delaware Air National Guard.

     Herglotz, originally from Wilmington, Del., holds a B.S. degree in human resources from the University of Delaware in Newark.