West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) Cabinet
Secretary Bill J. Crouch today announced the appointment of Brigadier General
Russell Crane a Deputy Secretary of DHHR, effective August 17, 2020.
Crane most recently served as Assistant Adjutant General (Army) of the
West Virginia National Guard, and as Deputy Commanding General, Training
Support Division (East), First United States Army. After serving a highly
decorated military career, including being awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Crane
concluded his First Army duties in April 2019.
Major General James Hoyer, Adjutant General, assigned Crane to assist
Secretary Crouch with the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
“I greatly appreciate Major General
Hoyer for loaning Russ to DHHR to serve as a key advisor during this public health
crisis,”
said Secretary Crouch. “With General Crane’s deployment to Africa, Afghanistan,
and Europe, as well as his service to the United States and his home state of
West Virginia, he brings a plethora of experience, enthusiasm and strong leadership
and management expertise to the table, especially during this worldwide
pandemic of COVID-19.”
Crane holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Marshall
University and was commissioned from the Reserve Officer Training Corps as an
Infantry Officer in 1987. He holds a master’s degree in strategic leadership
from Mountain State University and master’s degree in strategic studies from
the Army War College.
“I look forward to continuing
my service to West Virginia as part of this tremendous organization under
Secretary Crouch’s leadership,” said Crane.
Crane joins Jeremiah Samples who has served as a deputy secretary to
Crouch since 2017.