Governor-elect McDonnell, Bolling pledge to tackle unemployment

RICHMOND, Va. — Gov-elect Bob McDonnell said this morning that he will travel to Southside Virginia next week with his chief job creation officer, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, to meet with leaders about the economically depressed area’s high unemployment.

McDonnell said administration representatives will visit Southside Virginia every 30 days to meet with public and private sector leaders for “as long as it takes” to improve the economy there, which has suffered from double digit unemployment rates.

Also at this morning’s news conference in the General Assembly Building, McDonnell named Richmond native Robert C. Sledd, formerly with Performance Food Group Co., as secretary of commerce and trade.

Janet Polarek, McDonnell’s former campaign manager and longtime political confidante, will assume the role of secretary of the commonwealth.