Secretary of State Jan Brewer announced Friday the team that will help her transition to the governorship of Arizona after current gov. Janet Napolitano departs to become the Secretary of Homeland Security.
Brewer also named her longtime aide, Deputy Secretary of State Kevin Tyne, as chief of staff. Tyne will guide the day-to-day operations of the governor's office.
"For the past six years, Kevin Tyne has served the people of Arizona as my Deputy with honor, devotion and dedication," Brewer said in a press release. "He is widely respected throughout state government. He enjoys my full confidence and trust in this vital position."
Before his position as deputy secretary of state, Tyne served as Brewer's chief of staff when she was a Maricopa County supervisor. He worked for 11 years in Washington, D.C., first with Sen. Bob Dole's presidential campaign and later on Capitol Hill for eight years as the legislative director for Rep. Susan Molinari, R-New York.
Brewer’s transition team is made up of qualified individuals from both the public and private sectors who will help her with a seamless transfer of authority, said Doug Cole, deputy director of Brewer’s transition team for operations and communications.
The transition team of almost 30 people has a big hand in how Brewer’s administration will look, Cole said. They will begin seeking and reviewing agency briefing materials, interviewing current administration officials, making personnel recommendations and making general recommendations on state government policies and operations. All team members are volunteers.
“It’s basically building an organization,” Cole said. “It’s a lot of paperwork and time.”
The operation should be complete in three to five weeks, Cole said.
The transition team will be divided into six issue areas: criminal justice and public safety, natural resources, environment and infrastructure, education, health and human services, economic development, fiscal policy and budget and general government.
"I thank the transition team members in advance for volunteering their time and efforts," Brewer said in the release. "I am truly grateful for their assistance in these economically challenged times."
Reach the reporter at philip.haldiman@asu.edu.
