Governor Kaine Announces Additional Appointments to Commerce and Trade Secretariat
– Names additional commerce and trade agency directors –

RICHMOND – Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced additional appointments in the offices of Commerce and Trade.

Lynette E. Hammond of Concord will serve as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Trade. In 2005, Hammond served with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. Prior to that, she served with the Virginia Employment Commission, and in the Division of Legislative Services. Hammond has worked in state government for 15 years.

Vivek Kundra of Arlington will serve as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Trade. He was the CEO of Creostar and prior to that, Kundra served as Director of Infrastructure Technologies for Arlington County. He has extensive international experience and has worked on economic development in the private, public and non-profit sector for over 9 years.

David Ashe of Virginia Beach will serve as the Director of Business Assistance. Ashe was staff counsel for GEICO Insurance from 2003 to 2004, and served as a policy analyst for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He is an Iraq war veteran, with most of his career spent in the military.

Nicholas A. Kessler of Arlington will serve as Deputy Commissioner of the Virginia Employment Commission. Kessler previously served in the Kaine for Governor campaign in the political office, and then in the Governor-Elect's transition office. He practiced international trade law in Washington D.C. for several years.

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