Kyle Wilkens

Mr. Wilkens served as the Chief Executive for USDA Rural Development in Missouri. As State Director, a Presidentially appointed position, he led a team of 77 staff members bringing over 4.6 billion in federal funding to the state for rural community growth and infrastructure in the form of loans and grants making Missouri one of the most productive states in the nation. He has built strong relationships with agriculture industry and USDA leadership. Also gained extensive knowledge and funding strategies on housing, rural community infrastructure, agriculture business and broadband high-speed internet infrastructure.

Prior to his leadership role at USDA, Kyle worked for more than 17 years on Capitol Hill and in Missouri for two Congressmen. Most recently serving Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II, who has been both Chairman and Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance of the House Committee on Financial Services. He was Congressman Emanuel Cleaver’s Rural Policy Director in Missouri and a Legislative Assistant in his Washington DC office. As Rural Policy Director for Congressman Cleaver in Missouri, he handled agriculture, rural housing and infrastructure issues. His time in Congressman Cleaver’s DC office focused on agriculture, housing and defense policy issues.

Kyle worked a variety of administrative and policy positions for Congressman Ike Skelton, who served as the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee. He advised on defense matters in the office. He worked as Special Assistant to the Chairman on the House Armed Services Committee advising on all defense matters with the Chairman as well as the liaison with all other Members of Congress. He became intimately familiar with the committee’s annual defense authorization bill as well as defense industry and military leadership.

Mr. Wilkens holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Political Science and History from the University of Central Missouri and a Master of Arts in U.S. and World History from Missouri State University.