Tag: Commissioner of Agriculture

Gov. Justice Taps Clements for State Senate Seat

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has picked Republican Charles Clements to fill a state Senate opening left by Agriculture Commissioner Kent Leonhardt’s election.The governor’s office says Clements is a former member of the state House of Delegates. Clements currently serves as executive director of the West Virginia Route 2 and I-68 Authority and was on the governor’s transition policy committee on transportation.

Leonhardt, a Republican, left the 2nd District Senate seat by winning the agriculture commissioner race in November.

Clements served in the U.S. Army and owned Clements Oil Company for 34 years. He has operated H&R Block in New Martinsville since 2004.

The 2nd Senate District covers all of Wetzel, Tyler, Doddridge, Ritchie and Calhoun counties and parts of Marshall, Monongalia, Marion and Gilmer counties.

Longtime Ag. Commissioner Gus Douglass Dies

Gus Douglass, who was the nation’s longest-serving agriculture chief, has died at age 88.

Douglass’ family says in a statement that he died Thursday morning after a fall at his home in Mason County.

Douglass was elected as West Virginia’s agriculture commissioner 11 times. He served six terms between 1964 and 1984, and five more between 1992 and 2012. He did not seek re-election in 2012.

The Democrat testified repeatedly before Congress on farming issues. He also chaired the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture’s Advisory Committee on Foreign Animal and Poultry Diseases four times.

Douglas also was the only West Virginian ever elected national president of the Future Farmers of America. He presided over the first FFA conference following World War II.

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