Yellow Pages
Don Munks, recently retired from the board of Skagit County commissioners, hopes to return quickly to government life with an appointment to Gov. Chris Gregoire’s cabinet.
Munks, 62, said he has submitted a letter of interest and a resume to Gregoire to be considered for the position of director of the state Department of Agriculture.
Munks, a Republican, said the Democratic governor has impressed him with her commitment to agriculture. He, too, is committed to farming — so much so that he is willing to re-enter public life despite retiring from the board of commissioners due to a heart attack in 2007.
Munks said he consulted with his family before applying for the state position.
“There’s going to be a lot of work to it, but if you’ve been a farmer and you’re used to working all the time, it’s not that big a change,” Munks said.
“It is something I’ve been passionate about all my life,” Munks added, “and I’m going to enjoy being involved strictly in agriculture.”
The governor’s office confirmed Friday that it was accepting applications for the position. Acting Director Bob Gore has been in the job since May 2008.
The governor in the past has indicated a preference for appointing individuals from the farm-intensive eastern part of the state. Shortly after taking office in 2005, Gregoire reappointed Valoria Loveland, an eastern Washingtonian, to her position as director of the Agriculture Department.
“It’s important to me that our Ag director comes from the agriculture community and has a thorough knowledge about the needs and economy of the state, particularly east of the mountains,” Gregoire said at the time.
Selected applicants will go through a two-part interview, including a one-on-one with the governor, said Shawnee Smith, spokeswoman for the governor’s office.
No date has been set for naming the new director, Smith said.
