USDA Undersecretary Lisa Mensah recently visited Goodwin Heart Pine Company. From left: Carol Goodwin, Mensah, George Goodwin.
Mensah was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in November. She provides leadership for three USDA agencies focused on bettering the economic lives of rural America—the Rural Housing Service, Rural Utilities Service and Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
In the past, Goodwin received a guaranteed business and industry loan from Rural Development, which resulted in the retention of 19 full-time jobs and one part-time job.
“We enjoyed hosting the tour and want to extend a special thank you to Ms. Mensah and everyone who took time to come out and share this special occasion with us,” said Carol Goodwin, president of Goodwin Company, in a statement.
Other USDA leaders joined Mensah at Goodwin’s facility. The group included Richard Malchek, USDA state director; Joe Mueller, USDA’s rural business cooperative program director; Susan Campbell, loan specialist for the USDA; Robert Hutchinson, vice chair of Alachua County Commission representing District 3; and Janice Donaldson, regional director of the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of North Florida, among others.
