Gov. Shumlin Announces Second-Term Administration Changes

MONTPELIER, Vt., Nov. 13 -- Gov. Peter Shumlin, D-Vt., issued the following news release:

Gov. Peter Shumlin today announced a series of changes within his administration for his second term.

The changes are:

Chief of Staff Bill Lofy will leave the administration to take a position with the Democratic Governors Association, which Gov. Shumlin is expected to chair in 2013. Lofy will step down as chief of staff at the end of the year; he will work for the DGA primarily from Vermont. Lofy formerly worked for U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone of Minnesota, and held senior positions at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Alex MacLean, Secretary of Civil and Military Affairs, will leave the administration in early 2013 to take a position in the private sector. MacLean staffed Gov. Shumlin during his tenure as President Pro Tem of the Vermont Senate, and has run his two successful gubernatorial campaigns.

Public Service Commissioner Elizabeth Miller, whose department represents the public interest in issues involving energy, telecommunications, water and other issues, will replace Lofy as the Governor's Chief of Staff in January. Before joining the Shumlin administration, Miller was a practicing lawyer and business owner in Burlington.

Chris Recchia, Deputy Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, will replace Miller as Commissioner of Public Service. Recchia previously served as Executive Director of Biomass Energy Resource Center in Montpelier, focusing on renewable energy issues, and worked in the ANR during the former Dean administration. Recchia's transition leaves a short-term vacancy in the ANR deputy secretary position.

In other changes, Dixie Henry will become Deputy Secretary of the Agency of Human Services. Henry has served as Senior Policy and Legal Advisor to the Department of Health, and has previously served as deputy commissioner for Public Health, and as the assistant Attorney General for the Health Department.

Steve Kimbell, Commissioner of the Department of Financial Regulation (previously BISHCA), will stepping down. Susan Donegan, Deputy Commissioner of Insurance, will replace Kimbell in the top job. Prior to joining the Shumlin administration, Kimbell has been involved in public policy issues in Vermont since 1973; Donogan came to BISHCA after serving as counsel to the commissioner of the Massachusetts Insurance Division.

Finally, Mental Health Commissioner Patrick Flood is stepping down and will be temporarily replaced by Mary Moulton while a formal search for a new commissioner is conducted.

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