President George W. Bush recently nominated Senator Thad Cochran's long-time Chief of Staff Mark E. Keenum, Ph.D., of Corinth to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services.

"Mark has been an able member of my staff for the past 17 years, including serving the past 10 years as my Chief of Staff," said Cochran. "As an advisor to me on agricultural issues, he worked closely on the 1990, 1996 and the 2002 Farm Bills, and this experience will benefit the Administration greatly in preparation for reauthorization of the next Farm Bill. His experience on Capitol Hill and his background in Agricultural Economics make him an outstanding nominee to be Under Secretary of Agriculture. I have confidence in his professional ability and in him personally. Mark is an excellent choice for this position, and I look forward to voting on his nomination soon."

Prior to serving as Chief of Staff for Cochran, Mark served as Assistant Professor and Economist of the Department of Agricultural Economics at Mississippi State University. He has also worked as a Research Associate with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. Mark received his bachelor's degree, master's degree and Ph.D. from Mississippi State. He is married to the former Rhonda Newman, of Booneville, who serves as Deputy Assistant to the President of the United States and Director of the White House Office of Public Liaison. They currently reside in Alexandria, VA, and have four children.

I worked for Mark when he was a Legislative Assistant over agriculture and natural resource issues for Senator Cochran in 1989. With possibly the exception of his wife, Mark is by far the best appointment President Bush has made.

The way Mark conducts himself has been an inspiration to me. The way he treats Mississippians reminds me of something Senator Cochran once said of his late Administrative Assistant, Wiley Carter. He said, "...he reminded all of us by his example that one of our highest priorities was to help solve the problems of the people of our State and to treat everyone who called on us with respect and courtesy." Mark has a lot of Wiley in him.

We are living in a time when people are cynical about government and politics. I do not have all of the answers, but I do know that more people with the traits of Mark and Rhonda Keenum would be a good thing. We need more people who work to make government respond to the needs of ordinary citizens and respect their opinions.

Our Nation is blessed to have the benefit of the fine service of Dr. Mark Keenum.

James L. Cummins is Executive Director of Wildlife Mississippi, a non-profit, conservation organization founded to conserve, restore and enhance fish, wildlife and plant resources throughout Mississippi. Their web site is www.wildlifemiss.org.