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News Release USDA 96-522
Friday, December 20, 1996
Contact: Stephen Gaskill, (202) 219-6091

(Dear today announced that he is resigning as head of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to become chief of staff to the governor-elect of Washington.)

I am tremendously excited by the challenge of helping Governor-elect Gary Locke achieve his vision for the State of Washington. As his chief of staff, I will have a wide scope of responsibility to help achieve the Governor's goals and make state government work better for people. I hope to bring the lessons I learned about reinvention at OSHA to the state level.

I will be eternally grateful to President Clinton, Vice President Gore and Secretary Reich for the privilege and honor of serving as assistant secretary at OSHA. I leave my colleagues and friends at OSHA with profound gratitude and appreciation for their dedication and commitment. Together, we've been able to set a new direction for OSHA. We survived some dark days when the agency's future was in doubt. Today, the agency is stronger and more focused on its mission. It is more open to new ideas and better ways of working. I will always cherish the opportunity I had to help OSHA fulfill the great promise that the Occupational Safety and Health Act makes to America's working men and women: that their hard work should never be at the expense of their health and safety.

When I came to OSHA nearly four years ago, I had expected that one term would be enough. Although there are many compelling reasons to stay on at OSHA, I found that the offer Governor-elect Locke made was an opportunity I could not turn down. I am very happy that I will be able to return with my family to our home in the Pacific Northwest.