DOA Secretary Mike Huebsch
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker announced numerous changes to his administration on Monday, including the departure of Department of Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch to the state Public Service Commission. Huebsch will be succeeded as DOA Secretary by Scott Neitzel, who last week abruptly announced his resignation as senior vice president at Madison Gas & Electric. Huebsch, a former Republican legislator who served as Assembly Speaker, has headed DOA since being appointed by Governor-elect Walker in 2010.
Neitzel occupied a variety of state government positions prior to joining MG&E in 1997. According to the release from the governor’s office, he served as a consultant, as a PSC Commissioner, as Executive Assistant to the Chair of the PSC, as a Special Assistant at the United States Department of Energy, as a Special Assistant at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, as Deputy Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Development and as Division Administrator at the Wisconsin Department of Administration
“Public service is a great honor and I am humbled Governor Walker has asked me serve in this capacity. We will continue to build upon the reforms that grow our economy and increase the efficiency of state government.” Neitzel said.
“It has been an honor serving the Governor and the people of the State of Wisconsin as the Secretary of the Department of Administration,” said Mike Huebsch. “I look forward to continuing to serve at the Public Service Commission. I wish all the best to Scott Neitzel, I believe he will do a tremendous job as the next DOA Secretary.”
In addition to the changes at DOA and the PSC, Walker’s office released several other appointments.
· Cate Zeuske – Deputy Secretary, Department of Administration
· Tricia Braun – Chief Operating Officer, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC)
· Brian Schimming – Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA)
· Ellen Nowak – Chairperson, Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC), effective March 1
· Bob Seitz – Executive Assistant to incoming Chairperson, Public Service Commission of Wisconsin
Zeuske is a former Republican state lawmaker and state treasurer, Schimming has served as 1st Vice Chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, Nowak is a current PSC commissioner, and Seitz has served as lobbyist for GTAC, the firm which has proposed a controversial open-pit iron ore mine in northern Wisconsin.
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