Gov.-elect Bill Ritter’s transition team held its first closed-door meeting Monday to select the next leaders of Colorado state government.
The team includes about 40 volunteers who will sift through more than 700 applications for about 100 positions that Ritter gets to fill.
The meetings will be held in secret and the committee members have signed confidentiality agreements prohibiting them from publicly discussing the meetings.
“These will not be public meetings,” said Evan Dreyer, spokesman for Ritter. “We have left it to each committee’s co-chairs as to how they would like to handle public input.”
The 18 advisory committees on the team are expected to cull the resumes and present lists of qualified candidates by Dec. 15. Ritter’s inauguration is set for Jan. 9.
Dreyer would not say whether current members of Gov. Bill Owens’ administration will be asked to remain in their posts.
“We are not going to be talking publicly about individuals who are either members of the current Owens administration or are interested in the Ritter administration,” he said.
Lt. Gov.-elect Barbara O’Brien is playing a key role in the transition effort by serving on two committees: education and health care policy and finance.
Ritter tapped political and business leaders from across the state and the political spectrum.
Here are some prominent officials and their committee assignments:
Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, regulatory agencies;
Former Colorado State University President Al Yates, who is spokesman for wealthy Democratic contributor Pat Stryker, education;
Denver Fire Chief Larry Trujillo, public safety
Manitou Springs Mayor Marcy Morrison, a Republican, local affairs;
Reeves Brown of Grand Junction, executive director of Western Slope advocacy group Club 20, economic development and international trade;
Neal Hall, business manager for the Colorado Building and Construction Trades Council, labor and employment; and
Patricia Vincent, president and chief executive of Xcel Energy’s Public Service Co. of Colorado, energy management and conservation.
Staff writer Mark P. Couch can be reached at 303-954-1794 or mcouch@denverpost.com.
Gov.-elect Bill Ritter announced that the following people have volunteered to be part of his transition team.
Agriculture
Kathleen Kelley, former state lawmaker
John Stulp, former Prowers County commissioner
Volunteer Staff: Rebecca Swanson
Corrections
Freddie Alvarez, former Denver District Court judge
Don Quick, 17th Judicial District Attorney
Volunteer Staff: Tim Daly
Economic Development and International Trade
Reeves Brown, executive director, Club 20
Robert Cohen, chairman and CEO, IMA Financial Group
Ron Montoya, president and CEO, Plasticomm
Volunteer Staff: Ford Frick
Education
Dorothy Horrell, president, Bonfils-Stanton Foundation
Christine Johnson, president, Community College of Denver
Barbara O’Brien, lieutenant-governor elect
Al Yates, former president, Colorado State University
Volunteer Staff: Craig Welling
Energy Management and Conservation
Michael Bowman, chair of Colorado’s New Energy Future
Patricia Vincent, president and CEO of Xcel Energy’s Public Service Co. of Colorado
Volunteer Staff: John Parr
Health Care Policy and Finance
Rick May, former president, Colorado Medical Society
Barbara O’Brien, lieutenant-governor elect
Annie Wohlgenant, vice president of philanthropy, Colorado Health Foundation
Volunteer Staff: Edie Sonn
Human Services
Barbara McDonnell, executive vice president, Colorado Community College System
Kindra Mulch, administrator, Kit Carson County Health and Human Services
Gloria Tanner, former state senator
Volunteer Staff: Natalie Hyman
Information Technology
Rich Baer, executive vice president/general counsel, Qwest
Cathy Fogler, vice president of video product management, Charter Communications
Volunteer Staff: Mike Dino
Labor and Employment
Joseph Garcia, president, Colorado State University at Pueblo
Neal Hall, business manager, Colorado Building and Construction Trades Council
Rosemary Marshall, state representative
Volunteer Staff: Christy Murphy
Local Affairs
Marcy Morrison, mayor of Manitou Springs
Rosemary Rodriguez, Denver City Council member
Ken Torres, Las Animas County commissioner
Volunteer Staff: Peter Kenney
Military Affairs
Andy Love, major general (retired)
Larry Drake, captain, Marine Corps, 1967-73
Volunteer Staff: Joel Glover
Natural Resources
Howard Boigon, partner, Hogan & Hartson LLP
Kathleen Curry, state representative
Volunteer Staff: Andy Spielman
Personnel and Administration
Andre Pettigrew, chief operating officer, Denver Public Schools
Wendell Pryor, division director, Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies
Volunteer Staff: Scott Martinez
Public Health and Environment
Richard Hoffman, former chief medical officer, Colo. Dept. of Public Health and Environment
Jim Martin, executive director, Western Resource Advocates
Volunteer Staff: Mark Messenbaugh
Public Safety
Jeanne Smith, former 4th Judicial District Attorney and current deputy attorney general
Larry Trujillo, Denver fire chief
Volunteer Staff: Terri Livermore
Regulatory Agencies
Phil Fegin, former Colorado securities commissioner
Gail Klapper, director, Colorado Forum
Wellington Webb, former mayor of Denver
Volunteer Staff: Ben Kelly
Revenue
Carol Hedges, senior fiscal analyst, Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute
John Ikard, president, FirstBank
Peggy Reeves, former state senator
Volunteer Staff: Keith Hay
Transportation
Bill Kaufman, former state representative and current Colo. Transp. Commissioner
Carla Perez, Carter & Burgess
Volunteer Staff: Lori Fox
