Ag Appointment
From N.C. Agriculture Secretary Steve Troxler’s office:
RALEIGH – Dr. George Chambless of Lexington has been named director of the Emergency Programs Division at the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announced.
In addition, Troxler named Dr. Martin Zaluski of Durham the division's first-ever assistant director. Both have assumed their duties.Chambless replaces Dr. Barry Pittman, who recently accepted a position with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in Kansas.
The Emergency Programs Division is the department’s chief emergency preparedness and response agency. Its work focuses on reducing the vulnerability to, or the impact from, any disaster, disease or terrorist attack on North Carolina’s agricultural community.
"George and Marty have served the division, department and our constituents well, and they bring many talents to their new roles," Troxler said. "The recent impact of Hurricane Katrina in the Southeast vividly illustrates the importance of emergency preparedness and response agencies such as our Emergency Programs Division. I am confident that George and Marty will provide outstanding leadership to this crucial agency as it works to reduce the risk of natural and manmade threats to North Carolina's agriculture industry."
Prior to becoming director, Chambless was a veterinary specialist with the division, developing emergency programs, plans, exercises and training for the state’s Public Health Regional Surveillance Team in a 15-county region. He trained local public health, emergency management and law enforcement personnel in a variety of emergency issues related to human and animal health. Before joining the department in 2002, he was a private veterinarian for 30 years.
Chambless received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Georgia and holds a Certificate in Community Preparedness and Disaster Management from the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He and his wife, Amy, have two grown daughters.