CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) - Mike Skaggs, who has made a career of
expanding business activity in southwest states, was named Monday
as executive director of the Nevada Commission on Economic Development.

Gov. Jim Gibbons named Skaggs following a search launched after
Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki, who oversees the state's economic development efforts, asked Tim Rubald to step down from the post in
mid-November.

In his new job paying just over $100,000 yearly, Skaggs will oversee a staff of about 30 employees and manage a nearly $13 million, two-year budget.

Skaggs most recently was an executive with DW Turner Public Relations and Advertising, and previously ran Next Generation Economy Inc., both in Albuquerque, N.M. He also was an executive with Albuquerque Economic Development and the Economic evelopment Group in Phoenix.

Gibbons also named Luis Valera of Henderson and Miranda Du of Reno to the economic development commission.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)