Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson today announced that Gary K. King will become the Director of the Office of Worker and Community Transition. King has been serving as Policy Advisor to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management (EM). He replaces Robert DeGrasse who has been named the Principal Deputy for Operations for DOE’s Defense Programs organization.

"In his role as a policy advisor, Gary King has acquired first-hand familiarity with the communities where the Energy Department has operations, together with his knowledge and understanding about the strengths of these communities and the people who live in them, make him the perfect choice for this position," Secretary Richardson said. "I’m pleased that Gary will continue to serve as part of our leadership team in this capacity."

In his new role, King will be responsible for developing departmental policies and programs to plan for and mitigate the impacts of changing conditions on the workers and communities affected by departmental mission changes. This office will also provide the departmental focal point for addressing labor issues and directing resources to stimulate economic development.

Before joining the Department of Energy, King served as the Corporate General Counsel and Senior Environmental Lawyer for Advanced Sciences Inc. (ASI). His responsibilities included general legal matters, including risk assessment and liability coverage, business practices, protection of information, public policies, and government regulations, with emphasis on environmental and was management issues.

King also served six terms in the New Mexico House of Representatives where he was Chair of the Consumer and Public Affairs Committee.

He holds a B.S. degree in Chemistry from New Mexico State University and a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Colorado University. King earned his law degree at the University of New Mexico.