GovernmentExecutive.com

Warren "Rusty" Asher of the Office of Personnel Management's communications office was found dead last week in his Washington apartment. I didn't know Rusty personally, only having talked to him on the phone a couple of times. But what I heard from our reporters on a regular basis was that Rusty was an invaluable, unflappable, and always-available resource to members of the media. We in journalism can be awfully demanding, and making an impression on us with one's helpfulness and cheerfulness as a press officer is no mean feat. The local police, with the help of the FBI, are investigating Rusty's death. Here's hoping they can provide some answers that will give solace to Rusty's family, friends and coworkers. I know that those of us who deal with OPM and other federal agencies on a daily basis already miss him.