GOVERNOR-ELECT MALLOY NAMES TRANSITION STEERING COMMITTEE, PERSONNEL COMMITTEE, POLICY COMMITTEE LEADERS

 

November 22, 2010

 

(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor-Elect Dan Malloy and Lieutenant Governor-Elect Nancy Wyman today named the members of their Transition Steering Committee, as well as the members of their Personnel Committee and Policy Committee. The people selected will help the Governor-Elect and Lieutenant Governor-Elect  as they work to fill their cabinet and other positions within state government. Governor-Elect Malloy and Lieutenant Governor-Elect Wyman's Policy Committee leaders will assist them, first, by reaching out to incorporate a broad spectrum of Connecticut thought leaders into the committee's process, as they begin to formulate policy proposals and  prepare to outline his vision for the state during his inauguration and his formal budget proposal in February.

 

"I've chosen people from public and private life, Republicans and Democrats, and those who have participated in state government before, as well as those who never have," said Governor-Elect Malloy. "I'm confident that the people selected will help me find the best and the brightest hires for positions within my Administration, and make sure we get off to a strong start. My number one goal is to create new jobs, keep the ones we have and get Connecticut's fiscal house in order - the people on my Steering, Personnel and Policy Committees know this and they will operate with that as their objective, as well. These teams reflect the diversity of opinion, experience, political party, and cultural background that make Connecticut the great state it is."

 

STEERING COMMITTEE
 
Lieutenant Governor-Elect Nancy Wyman (co-chair): Prior to being elected Lieutenant Governor, Nancy Wyman was the first woman elected State Comptroller since the office was created in 1786. She was first elected statewide in 1994 and re-elected in 1998, 2002 and 2006, and is responsible for paying the state's bills, keeping its books and representing the taxpayers in state fiscal matters. Under Wyman's leadership, the Comptroller's office has significantly streamlined operations to enhance efficiency, accountability and public service.

 

Tim Bannon (co-chair): Tim Bannon co-chairs Governor-Elect Dan Malloy's transition alongside Lieutenant Governor-Elect Nancy Wyman. He will assume the Chief of Staff role for Governor Malloy on Inauguration Day, January 5, 2011. Bannon, a lawyer, has had an extensive private sector career in large firm law practice and the insurance and pharmaceutical industries. In the public sector, he is currently the President-Executive Director of the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA), the state's lead finance agency for affordable homes. He served in the Office of Governor William A. O'Neill; as Commissioner of the Department of Revenue Services, also for Governor O'Neill; and in the Office of Treasurer Denise Nappier.

 

Lorraine Aronson: Lorraine M. Aronson's 30 years of public service in Connecticut include working as Deputy Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, Commissioner of the Department of Income Maintenance and Deputy Commissioner of Education. She joined the University of Connecticut in 1995, and retired in 2008 after eight years as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. A lawyer admitted to the Connecticut Bar in 1977, Lorraine's public commitments also include service on the State Board of Trustees for the Hartford Public Schools, the Connecticut Developmental Disabilities Council, and the Blue Ribbon Commission on State Health Insurance.

 

Greg Butler: Gregory B.  Butler is Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the Northeast Utilities system  (NU). During the Administration of President George H. W. Bush, Butler was a senior attorney-advisor with the United States Department of Justice. Butler and his wife, Rev. Nancy Carroll Butler, live in  Glastonbury, Connecticut, with their daughters Liza and  Sarah.

 

Chris Cooney: Chris Cooney  was campaign manager for the Governor-Elect's first campaign for governor in 2006.  He is the founder and president of The WilMark Group, a marketing consulting firm.  Chris has more than 20 years of experience specializing in marketing, communications and general business operations for a wide range of organizations, from large publicly traded companies and established small businesses to start-ups and venture capital.

 

Kathryn Emmett: Kathryn Emmett, senior partner of Emmett & Glander, a Stamford law firm, is an active trial lawyer and former Judge of the Connecticut Superior Court.  Kathy's practice is focused in the areas of employment and civil rights law.  She is a Past President of the Connecticut Trial Lawyers' Association and currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Ferguson Library in Stamford, as well as the Treasurer of the Stamford Downtown Special Services District and as an ex officio member of the Board of the Center for Children's Advocacy.

 

Mayor Scott Jackson: A graduate of Cornell University, Scott Jackson is serving his first term as Hamden's youngest Mayor. Prior to his election, Scott served as Chief Administrative Officer and Community Development Program Manager for the Town of Hamden, as an aide to Senator Joseph Lieberman, and Project Manager/Technology Director for the Connecticut Policy and Economic Council. A lifelong resident of Hamden, Scott lives with his wife Mandi Isaacs Jackson and their two sons, Max and Eli, ages four and one.

 

Juanita James: Juanita James recently retired as Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of Pitney Bowes, Inc. and is a corporate Director for the Asbury Automotive Group, one of the nation's largest automotive retailers. She is actively involved in numerous not for profit organizations, including being a Board Director for Reading is Fundamental and a Trustee of Lesley University. She was awarded the Stamford Citizen of the Year Award for her community service.

 

State Senator Andrew McDonald: Andrew McDonald has been a state senator representing the 27th district since 2003, and currently serves as the Senate chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Prior to his legislative service, he served in a variety of local elected and appointed positions in the City of Stamford, including as a member of then Mayor Malloy's cabinet as Director of Legal Affairs and Corporation Counsel. He and his husband live in Stamford.
Len Miller: Len Miller, a UConn graduate, is a CPA and retired partner of the regional accounting firm of O'Connor Davies. Len is the founder of SoundWaters, the environmental education organization, co-founder of Nonprofit Collaborative Alliance, and recent past Chair of Stamford Achieves. Len is married to Beebe Miller and has 4 grown children and 4 grandchildren.

 

Roy Occhiogrosso: Roy Occhiogrosso, a partner with the consulting firm Global Strategy Group, served as Gov.-elect Malloy's chief campaign strategist.  Prior to joining Global, Roy worked on numerous political races in Connecticut, and served for 6 years as the Policy and Communications Director for the state Senate Democrats.

 

Mark Ojakian: Mark Ojakian was appointed to the position of Deputy Comptroller in January 1995, and serves as a senior political and policy adviser to State Comptroller Nancy Wyman. Mark  has administrative responsibility over a constitutional office with more than 250 employees and fiscal responsibility over $1billion in state accounts.

 

John Olsen: John Olsen has been President of the CT AFL-CIO since 1988.  He has served on numerous boards and commissions at the pleasure of the last four Governors, including The Thomas Commission, to reorganize state government, The Bridgeport Financial Review Board, CT Innovations and the CT Clean Energy Fund. John also serves on several not-for-profit boards.

 

Mayor Pedro Segarra: Pedro E. Segarra currently serves as the Mayor of the City of Hartford and has served as Council President, Council Person and Corporation Counsel for three terms. Mayor Segarra holds a Master of Social Work and Law Degree from the University of Connecticut. He has worked as a social worker, psychotherapist, State Prosecutor and Attorney.

 

Shawn Wooden: Shawn Wooden, a Hartford native, is a Partner at Day Pitney LLP. Previously, Shawn worked for the AFL-CIO Office of Investment in Washington, D.C. and was a key aide for the Commissioner for Social Services for the State of Connecticut.  He was named one of the "Twenty-Five Investment Professionals to Watch" by Pensions and Investments Magazine and one of Hartford County's "Forty Under 40" business leaders by Hartford Business Journal. 

 

PERSONNEL COMMITTEE:

 

Sanford Cloud, Jr. (co-chair): Sanford Cloud, Jr. is currently the Chairman and CEO of The Cloud Company and Chairman of the Board of the Connecticut Health Foundation. Sandy is the former President and CEO of The National Conference of Community and Justice and a former State Senator. 

 

Marilda Gándara (co-chair): Marilda Gándara, was President of the Aetna Foundation when she retired in 2008.  Her 30 years of service at Aetna Inc. began as an attorney in real estate, bankruptcy and environmental areas. Marilda has served on the boards of many national and local profit and non-profit organizations, playing leadership roles in many including the Hispanics in Philanthropy Funders Collaborative which has raised over $50 million for Latino non-profit capacity building and starting the Connecticut Veteran's Day Parade, now the largest in New England.

 

Johnna Torsone (co-chair): Johnna G. Torsone is a nationally recognized leader in the human resources profession, and has served as the Chief Human Resources Officer at Pitney Bowes since 1993 and most recently as Interim General Counsel.  Her work in the field of leadership development, diversity and employee wellness have earned her and the company numerous awards and recognitions over the years. Her most recent volunteer work has included board memberships at  Westport Country Playhouse,  Stamford Hospital,  Albany law School, Human Resources Policy Association, Caroline House and Center for Family Literacy Advisory Council.

 

Ben Cozzi: Benedict W. Cozzi has been a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 478 since 1964 and currently serves as the Business Manager and President, representing 4,300 heavy equipment operators and mechanics across the state of Connecticut.  He serves on many boards and commissions, including the Worker's Compensation Commission Advisory Board, Chairman of the Board of Easter Seals/Goodwill Industries of New Haven,  and is the past president of both Connecticut State Building Trades Council and the New Haven Building Trades Council. He currently resides in Northford with his wife Elizabeth; they have two children and three grandchildren.

 

Mayor Adam Salina: Adam P. Salina is a graduate of Stanford University is currently serving his fourth term as Mayor of Berlin having first been elected at the age of 28.  Adam has led the resurgence in Berlin's economic development, resulting in steady grand list growth and a low tax rate. He is also a Principal at Kozak & Salina, LLC, a government relations firm specializing in strategic initiatives and policy support.

 

POLICY COMMITTEE

 

Linda Kelly (co-chair): Linda J. Kelly, president of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, the largest community foundation in Connecticut serving the greater Hartford region, also chairs the statewide Network of Community  Foundations and is vice chair of the national Council on Foundations' Ethics and Practices Committee.  She has previously served the state of Connecticut in several capacities, most recently  as a Commissioner of the Department of Public Utility Control.  Linda spent many years in the banking industry, including as senior vice president and general counsel of Shawmut Bank Connecticut and an officer of its corporate holding company, Shawmut National Corporation.

 

Joe McGee (co-chair): Joe McGee currently serves as the Vice President of Public Policy for The Business Council of Fairfield County. In this capacity, Joe's work is focused on transportation planning and finance, housing development, particularly affordable housing and transit oriented development, and job development and economic growth. Prior to joining The Business Council, Joe was Connecticut Commissioner of the Department of Economic Development, Chairman of the Connecticut Development Authority and Chairman of Connecticut Innovations, Inc.

 

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