Preite nominated to return to USDA Rural Development

Montana's U.S. Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester said Thursday they have nominated a Havre native with decades of economic development experience for the position of Montana state director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development.

Baucus and Tester said in a press release they have nominated Tony Preite for the job, pending appointment by President Barack Obama.

Preite would take the place of Matt Jones, who left the USDA Rural Development position to take a job as a communications director for Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway.

"Tony's a great candidate because he's focused...