By KRWG News
Las Cruces – New Mexico State University regents have appointed Tom Bagwell as the director/secretary of the New Mexico Department of Agriculture.
The decision was made Friday at the regents' regular meeting.
Bagwell currently serves as the assistant director of the department and the deputy secretary of agriculture for New Mexico. He will replace current director Miley Gonzalez, who will retire at the end of the year.
The director serves as the secretary of agriculture on the governor's cabinet, but the position is filled by the regents and the director reports to the board and the university president.
Bagwell has bachelor's and master's degrees from NMSU in agricultural economics and is a faculty member in the agricultural and extension education department.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.