Trump appoints former Ohio truck driver to USDA position
President Donald Trump has appointed an Ohio-based truck driver to a prominent position within the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Trucker Trades In Keys For Government Job
This year Trump hired truck driver Nick Brusky to act as a Confidential Assistant with the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service — an agency that works to “link U.S. agriculture to the world to enhance export opportunities and global food security.”
The duties of a Confidential Assistant include “conducting research; preparing documents for special projects; overseeing correspondence control … receiving a wide variety of telephone inquiries from executives within and outside the USDA and from other agencies.”
According to a report in Politico, Brusky was hired at the top of the government pay scale and makes $79,720 per year. The report points out that that pay grade requires a masters degree or the equivalent, but it isn’t clear what level of formal education Brusky has attained.
Brusky worked as a field representative for the Trump campaign for a little over a year, helping with voter outreach campaigns. He also served as a Town Trustee in Ohio’s Butler Township for three years.
USDA Appointee’s Trucking Career
According to Brusky’s LinkedIn profile, he has several years of experience in trucking. He spent over four years as an accounts manager at NAX Transportation Inc. before moving into a driver role.
He spent seven months at Xenia, Ohio’s AG Express, where he “Drove a Class A Peterbilt 279 Semi Truck with PTO System. Hauled Dry Van Freight, Flatbed Freight, Hauled Bulk Mulch in a Walking Floor Trailer, and Agricultural Commodities in a Tanker.”
He also spent over three years with USPS contractor Thurman Trucking out of Wapakoneta, Ohio. Though he resigned from his driver position in January of 2017 in order to take up his position within the Trump administration, here’s what he had to say about his day to day driving experience with Thurman Trucking:
“I currently drive local routes within a 50 mile radius of the Dayton, OH Processing and Distribution using both semi and box trucks. Responsible for adhering to adhere to a strict schedule in order the U.S. Mail to be delivered on time. Responsible for making sure equipment is in proper working order and operated in a safe manner in compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.
One interesting fact about this job is that when carrying mail on my truck, I am one of few motor vehicle operators other than emergency responders that is allowed to be on the road during a “level 3” snow emergency. While I have thankfully not had to invoke that privilage, I have had to keep moving in very bad weather as regardless of the weather, the mail must go.”
Brusky’s resume indicates that he studied at the Ohio Business College Truck Driving Academy.