Mike Torrey is the deputy chief of staff to Secretary Ann M. Veneman.

From February 2003 until his appointment to this position Torrey served as deputy assistant secretary for congressional relations at USDA. The April-June 2003 issue of the USDA News carried his complete biographical sketch, following his appointment to that position.

From 2002-03 Torrey served as vice president of legislative affairs for the International Dairy Foods Association, after having been its senior director for legislative affairs from 1998-2002. During the 1990s he worked as a legislative assistant to three [then] U.S. Senators representing Kansas: Bob Dole, Nancy Kassebaum, and Sheila Frahm, concentrating on agricultural policy and related issues.

Kevin Herglotz, the previous deputy chief of staff who also served as director of communications at USDA, is now vice president for government relations and legislative affairs at Safeway, Inc., based in Pleasanton, Calif. •