Yesterday, Gov.-elect Tony Evers today announced Joel Brennan, who ran Tom Barrett’s 2002 guv campaign and has been CEO of Milwaukee’s Discovery World for the past 11 years, will be his first DOA secretary.
Evers also tapped three others from Milwaukee for his cabinet:
*Preston Cole at Natural Resources. He now serves as a commissioner for the Department of Neighborhood Services under Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and is a member of the state Natural Resources Board that advises DNR. According to a profile on the city’s website, he was the first African-American forester hired by the Conservation Department.
*U.S. Marshal Kevin Carr at Corrections. He was sworn in as a marshal in 2010 after 30 years with the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office and is a member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives.
*Sara Meaney, Tourism. Earlier this year, she was hired to be chief marketing officer for Milwaukee Film. Meaney has served on the organization’s board of directors since 2012.
Evers, responding to criticism that his first four picks are from Milwaukee, stressed the importance of the city to the state’s success, but said future picks will allay concerns he is ignoring rural Wisconsin.
“I happen to be in Milwaukee and these four happen to be from Milwaukee,” Evers said. “We will have more announcements in the near future, and I think the criticism will be dissipated as we move forward.”