Ohio Department of Agriculture Announces Senior Staff Appointments

Source: Ohio Department of Agriculture

Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) Director David T. Daniels has announced the appointment of Jared Parko as a new deputy director to the department’s senior management team.

As deputy director, Parko will primarily focus on laboratory operations and animal health, dairy, food safety and meat issues. Prior to his new appointment, Parko served as laboratory operations manager for the Food Safety Net Services in Columbus, Ohio. He also previously worked in the Dairy Food Safety Laboratory at the University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. He is a graduate of Michigan State University, with a master’s degree in food safety and a bachelor’s degree in microbiology.

In addition, ODA has recently made appointments to several senior staff positions:

• Terri Gerhardt became chief of the Division of Food Safety. Gerhardt has been with ODA since 2000 and previously served as the assistant chief of the Division of Food Safety. She earned her bachelor’s degree in dairy science and her master’s degree in agricultural economics, both from The Ohio State University.
• Dr. Nick Wagner became chief of the Division of Meat Inspection. Dr. Wagner has been with ODA since 2012 and previously served as assistant chief of the Division of Meat Inspection. He earned his bachelor’s degree in agribusiness and applied economics and his doctor of veterinary medicine, both from The Ohio State University.
• Kirk Hines became chief of the Division of Soil and Water Conservation. Hines had been with the Division of Soil and Water Resources at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources since 2000 and previously served as deputy chief. He earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering from The Ohio State University.