By KRWG News
Las Cruces – The New Mexico Spaceport Authority has a new executive director, and he's no stranger to the job.
The spaceport board met Tuesday in Truth or Consequences and voted unanimously to hire Rick Homans. He will take over as permanent director on July 1 after stepping down from his position as head of the state Taxation and Revenue Department.
Homans served as the first chairman of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority from 2005 to 2007 and was briefly its executive director in 2007.
Gov. Bill Richardson says Homans' appointment provides the continuity needed to ensure the spaceport's success.
The governor's office says Duffy Rodriguez will be the new secretary of the Taxation and Revenue Department. Rodriguez has worked most recently as deputy cabinet secretary for Finance and Administration.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.