Arrington announces staff hirings

Congressman-elect Jodey Arrington announced three staff hirings this week.
Russell Thomasson of Lubbock will serve as his chief of staff, Jay Hardaway of Abilene as district director and Mary Whistler of Lubbock as deputy district director. Arrington also announced he would consolidate the three District 19 offices into two — the district headquarters in Lubbock and a regional office in Abilene.
“We are re-prioritizing our resources to focus on people and time spent in communities throughout the district, not on unnecessary office space,” Arrington said.
Arrington said Thomasson “embodies our values, including a strong faith, a diligent work ethic and principled leadership. Russell is one of the best administrators and problem solvers I’ve worked with in my career.”
Hardaway is a member of the Abilene City Council and Arrington said he is an effective leader.
“Jay brings a passion for public service, a record of conservative leadership and a strong relationship with Dyess Air Force Base,” he said.
Whistler worked for more than 30 years for Congressmen Larry Combest and Randy Neugebauer.
“While Mary may be new to our team, she has dedicated her entire career to serving the people of District 19. There are few who know these 29 counties and 75 cities in West Texas like she does,” Arrington said.