Deputy Commissioner Ron Carleton Bio

Ron Carleton
Colorado Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture

Ron Carleton, of Fort Collins, has been named deputy commissioner for the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Carleton assumes his responsibilities on June 1, 2012.

 “I am pleased Ronnie has accepted the responsibilities of this position,” said Commissioner of Agriculture John T. Salazar. “Ronnie has dedicated his professional career to serving the people of this great country and I’m confident that Colorado’s agricultural industry will benefit from his vast experiences.”

Carleton, who worked for over thirty years in the US Congress, comes to the Colorado Department of Agriculture with considerable experience in agricultural policy. As a legislative assistant and legislative director, he covered not only agricultural issues, but also energy, environment, water, and land management issues. Most recently, as Chief of Staff to then Colorado Congressman John Salazar, Carleton helped develop and guide agriculture policy, assisting with work on the House Agriculture Committee and the 2008 Farm Bill.

A resident of Fort Collins, Carleton holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Houston, a masters’ degree from the American University, and a law degree from George Mason University School of Law. In addition to his work in Congress, Carleton was also an Adjunct Professor with the School of Business at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia, teaching classes on Public Policy and Administrative Law.

The principal responsibilities of the Deputy Commissioner include coordinating policy development and implementation, oversee the management of the Department’s divisions, and assisting the Commissioner in achieving the Department goals.

The hiring process includes a number of steps designed to create a highly competitive search for the position. Industry, CDA staff and additional external parties assisted in the hiring process which was comprised of an application review, oral board and panel interview.