As the Kansas Department of Agriculture continues on its mission to serve and grow the state’s largest industry, Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Dale Rodman announced changes to the department’s executive team.

Jackie McClaskey, Girard, Kan., native and current assistant secretary of agriculture, will transition into the role of deputy secretary of agriculture for the state of Kansas effective immediately. McClaskey has served at KDA since January 2011 and previously worked at Kansas State University in the College of Agriculture.

In response to Chief Counsel and Assistant Secretary Kim Christiansen’s appointment to executive director of the Kansas Corporation Commission and the decision of Dr. Jim Riemann, current KDA assistant secretary, to retire on Aug. 2, 2013, Rodman promoted two current KDA employees.

Chad Bontrager, a Holton, Kan., native and current agribusiness development coordinator, will transition into a role as assistant secretary. Bontrager will be responsible for Agribusiness Services, including the Agriculture Laboratory, Agriculture Commodity Assurance Program, Dairy Inspection, Food Safety and Lodging Inspection, Grain Warehouse Inspection, Meat and Poultry, Pesticide and Fertilizer, Plant Protection and Weed Control and Weights and Measures. He will take official responsibility for these programs on August 2, 2013.

Erik Wisner, Topeka native and current policy and regulatory special assistant who has served at KDA since 2004, will be promoted to assistant secretary and will be responsible for Administrative Services, including Fiscal, Information Technology, Human Resources and Records Center. These responsibilities will begin on July 8, 2013. Wisner will also help manage and oversee the department’s legal division until a new chief counsel is hired.

“I thank Jim and Kim for a job well done and for their selfless service to Kansas agriculture,” said Secretary Rodman. “We have made strides forward over the past 2.5 years in our work to support and grow agriculture in Kansas but there is more work to be done. I am confident the new team will provide the necessary leadership and support to empower KDA to partner with our state’s farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses to move Kansas agriculture forward.”