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MATTHEWS TO LEAD USDA’s OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 1999 -- Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman today announced the appointment of Maria Matthews as deputy administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Community Development, which oversees aid being delivered to the nation’s eight rural Empowerment Zones (EZs) and 50 rural Enterprise Communities (ECs). These persistent poverty areas are receiving special financial and technical assistance from USDA to implement long-term strategic plans to attract new businesses and create jobs, to improve housing, build vital new community facilities and raise the quality of community services.
"At the helm of the Office of Community Development, Maria will work closely with other USDA agencies to ensure that struggling rural communities share fully in the robust economy that most of the rest of the nation is experiencing," Glickman said.
Jill Long Thompson, under secretary for Rural Development, who oversees the Office of Community Development, said, "Maria has a deep understanding of the causes of rural poverty and what types of assistance programs make lasting improvements in the quality of life for people living in economically depressed rural communities."
Matthews most recently served as executive director of the Enterprise Community in Imperial County, Calif., where she has resided since 1986. In that role, Matthews has been responsible for regional economic and community development activities, including infrastructure development, marketing promotion, attracting and retaining business and small business loan programs. She has also represented the county on the Border Trade Alliance and the Imperial County/Mexicali Economic Development Alliance. She has served as vice chairperson of the Border Trade Alliance and co-chairperson of the Southwest Border Regional Partnership.
"The Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities program is succeeding where so many other anti-poverty programs have failed in the past, in large part because all segments of the selected communities played an active role in advancing the strategic development plans which serve as the road map for USDA assistance," Matthews said. "I will strive to ensure that this program plays an even bigger role in breaking the cycle of poverty that has gripped these rural communities for far too long."
Matthews received her BA degree in public administration from San Diego State University/Imperial Valley campus in 1987 and a masters degree in public administration from the same university in 1993. She was named the university’s alumna of the year in 1995.
The Office of Community Development is part of USDA’s Rural Development mission area, which also includes the Rural Housing Service, Rural Business-Cooperative Service and the Rural Utilities Service.
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