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Incoming South Dakota governor filling Cabinet postsPIERRE, Dec 02, 2010 (American News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Two more members of Gov.-elect Dennis Daugaard's new Cabinet appeared to be in place Wednesday, while he announced the names of 24 citizens who are helping him fill three key posts. Kim Malsam-Rysdon seems in line to succeed Deb Bowman as secretary of social services, while Sandy Zinter looks to be back as personnel commissioner under her third different governor. The two positions weren't among those listed in a news release on Wednesday regarding Cabinet posts remaining to be filled. Malsam-Rysdon is deputy secretary and is known to have been taking a larger role in leading the Department of Social Services in recent weeks, while Bowman has participated daily in the transition from Gov. Mike Rounds to Daugaard. Bowman will be one of six members of Daugaard's new executive management team when he's sworn into office on Jan. 8, creating the social services vacancy. Tony Venhuizen, director of policy and communications for Daugaard, said a news release will be issued later this week about the personnel and social services posts. He declined to officially comment further. Daugaard, meanwhile, announced the memberships of three search teams of citizens working to find new secretaries of economic development, tourism and agriculture. The panels are studded with high-profile business leaders and former Cabinet members. Daugaard said the search committees will continue to advise and provide perspective to the new secretaries after he appoints them. Daugaard's transition team members are handling the searches for other Cabinet posts that remain to be filled in the next month. Those include education secretary, revenue secretary, human services secretary, public safety secretary, tribal relations director, information and telecommunications commissioner, and administration commissioner. A veterans services secretary will be named next spring, according to Daugaard. Adjutant General Steven Doohen will continue as secretary of military and veterans affairs through the end of the legislative session in March. Daugaard plans to split the department. The agriculture search panel includes Bill Even, who was secretary of agriculture until he resigned earlier this year for a private sector job, as well as Rob Skjonsberg, who was Rounds' first chief of staff until he resigned about three years ago to work for an ethanol company. Others on the ag panel are Stanley Porch of Wanblee, Larry Ness of Yankton, Janet Cronin of Gettysburg and Doug Deiter of Faulkton. The tourism search team includes a former secretary of tourism, Susan (Edwards) Johnson of Nemo, and many others from the tourism and hospitality field. They include George Kessler of Aberdeen, Michelle Lintz of Rapid City, George Entenman of Sioux Falls, Dave Sweet of Sioux Falls, Diana Saathoff of Rapid City, Meg Warder of Hill City and Rod Woodruff of Sturgis. The economic development secretary will be on Daugaard's executive management team and report directly to the governor. John Calvin of Watertown, who was secretary of tourism and state development early in the Rounds administration, is one of the 10 people named to the search committee. Others include former Lt. Gov. Steve Kirby of Sioux Falls, Randy Morris of Spearfish, Mark Mickelson of Sioux Falls, Dennis Breske of Sioux Falls, Jerry Prostrollo of Madison, Deanna Lien of Rapid City, Mark Merchen of Rapid City, John Lillibridge of Burke and Jeff Sveen of Aberdeen. Mickelson is a son and grandson of two former governors, George S. Mickelson and George T. Mickelson. His mother, Linda Mickelson Graham, was Daugaard's campaign treasurer. She was widowed when George S. Mickelson died in the 1993 state plane crash. To see more of the American News, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.aberdeennews.com. Copyright (c) 2010, American News, Aberdeen, S.D. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. |