On January 17, 2006, President George W. Bush nominated Boyd K. Rutherford to the position of Assistant Secretary for Administration to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). He was confirmed, by unanimous consent, by the United States Senate on May 12, 2006. As Assistant Secretary, he serves as the Department's: Chief Acquisition Officer, Chief Human Capital Officer, the Senior Energy and Environmental Official; the Freedom of Information Act Officer, and directs the Department's emergency operations center and related emergency management functions.

Prior to serving with USDA, Boyd served Maryland Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. as Secretary of the Maryland Department of General Services (DGS). From January 2003 to June 2006, Mr. Rutherford was responsible for more than $900 million in annual contract administration and 10 million square-feet of State-owned and leased facilities. He also served as Construction Advisor to the Board of Public Works. He was a member the General Professional Services Selection Board, the Information Technology Board, the Procurement Advisory Council, the Maryland Food Center Authority, and the Interagency Committee for Public School Construction.

Mr. Rutherford came to DGS from the U. S. General Services Administration (GSA). In President George W. Bush's first term, he appointed Mr. Rutherford to the position of Associate Administrator of GSA. At GSA, Mr. Rutherford wore dual hats as Associate Administrator for Small Business Utilization and Associate Administrator for Performance Improvement.

Mr. Rutherford has extensive legal and business experience including service in the fields of information technology sales, law, and small and minority business development. He graduated from Howard University with a bachelor's degree in economics and political science. He holds a law degree and a master's degree in communications management from the University of Southern California.. Mr. Rutherford is a member of the State Bars of California and Maryland, as well as the District of Columbia bar. He has practiced law in Southern California, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. The primary focus of his practice was regulatory law and litigation, including advising companies and non-profits on Federal and State Brownfields legislation. Mr. Rutherford previously served on the Baltimore City Brownfields Redevelopment Council and on the Board of the Corridor Transportation Corporation.

Mr. Rutherford resides in Columbia, Maryland with his wife and two of his three children. He and his wife have an adult child, who resides in Southern California.