ANNAPOLIS (February 16, 2007) - Governor Martin O'Malley submitted a list of 145 “green bag” nominations to the Maryland Senate today for State boards and commissions. The list includes nominees for the State Board of Contract Appeals, the Maryland Stadium Authority, the University System of Maryland Board of Regents, the Morgan State University Board of Regents, the Workers Compensation Commission, and a number of local Boards of Elections.
“I am proud to nominate these outstanding candidates to fill key posts in Maryland's state government,” said Governor O'Malley. “We have worked hard to compile a diverse list of individuals from across our State to help make government work again for the people of Maryland.”
The term “green bag” derives from the historical green satchel that is used once every year to bring the gubernatorial nominations to the Senate. When not in use, the bag is stored at the Maryland State Archives. It is state tradition that a senior member of the governor's staff delivers the “green bag” to the Senate. This year, Appointments Secretary Jeanne Hitchcock delivered the bag to Senate President Pro Tem Nathaniel J. McFadden.
“On behalf of Governor O'Malley and Lt. Governor Brown, it is my honor to present the Maryland Senate with this year's ‘green bag' appointments,” said Secretary Hitchcock. “I know that every one of these nominees will work hard to move our state forward.”
A full list of nominees is attached to this press release. Among the 145 nominees are:
Sheriff David A. Goad (Maryland Police Training Commission): Goad is being nominated for appointment as a member of the Maryland Police Training Commission. He is currently Sheriff of Allegany County, and previously has served as president of the Maryland Sheriff's Association. Sheriff Goad is a member of the International Association Chiefs of Police, the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association, the MD/DELAWARE Chapter of the FBI National Academy Associates, and the United States Deputy Sheriff's Association. Goad graduated from both Alleghany College in Maryland and Frostburg State University.
Fred Puddester (Maryland Stadium Authority): Puddester is being nominated for appointment as a member of the Maryland Stadium Authority. He currently serves as the Chief Budget Officer of Johns Hopkins University. Previously, he has served as Executive Director of Budgeting and Planning for the Interagency Public School Construction Program, as Maryland's Secretary of Budget and Management, and as Chairman of the Commission on Maryland's Fiscal Structure. Puddester is a graduate of the University of Vermont and received his masters' degree from Rutgers University.
Otis Rolley, III (Maryland Stadium Authority): Rolley is being nominated for appointment as a member of the Maryland Stadium Authority. He is currently Chief of Staff for Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon. Beforehand, he was Director of Planning for the City of Baltimore under then-Mayor Martin O'Malley and First Deputy Housing Commissioner for Baltimore Housing, where he was Chief Administrative officer of the Housing Authority of Baltimore City.
Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (Morgan State University Board of Regents): Cummings is being nominated for appointment as a member of the Morgan State University Board of Regents. Cummings is currently serving his seventh term as a Congressman from Maryland's 7th district, where he has served as Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. Before his election to Congress, Cummings served for 16 years in the Maryland House of Delegates, where he was Chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus and the first African-American to be named Speaker Pro Tem. Cummings graduated from Howard University and the University of Maryland Law School.
Kweisi Mfume (Morgan State University Board of Regents): Mfume is being nominated for reappointment as a member of the Morgan State University Board of Regents. Mfume served as President of the NAACP, as a Congressman from Maryland's 7th District, and as a member of Baltimore's City Council. Mfume graduated from Morgan State University, and received his M.L.A. from Johns Hopkins University.
Orlan M. Johnson, Esquire (University System of Maryland Board of Regents): Johnson is being nominated for reappointment as a Regent. He is an attorney with the law firm of Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy, where he co-heads the energy regulatory practice in the firm's Washington, D.C. office. He has been an adjunct professor at the Howard University School of Law since 1994. He serves as President of the Princes George's Community College Foundation and is a former member of the college's Board of Trustees. He is a graduate of Andrews University and Howard University School of Law.
C. Thomas McMillen (University System of Maryland Board of Regents): McMillen is being nominated for appointment as a Regent. He served as a Congressman from Maryland from 1987 to 1993. During his life, McMillen has been a Rhodes Scholar, a professional basketball player, and co-chair of the President's Commission on Physical Fitness. He has also served as CEO of Homeland Security Capital Corp. and Global Secure Corp., both focused on homeland security. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland, College Park, and received his M.A. from Oxford University under the Rhodes program.
James L. Shea, Esquire (University System of Maryland Board of Regents): Shea is being nominated for appointment as a Regent. He serves as Chair of Venable LLP and maintains an active law practice, specializing in corporate, commercial and appellate litigation. He is also a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers and serves on the board of the Greater Baltimore Committee, Empower Baltimore Management Corporation and the Maryland Chamber of Commerce. Shea received his A.B from Princeton University and his J.D. from the University of Virginia.
Patricia G. Adams (Workers Compensation Commission): Adams is being nominated for appointment to the Maryland Workers Compensation Commission, where she previously served as an attorney from 1999-2006. Before her work on the Commission, Adams was a law clerk and attorney in Riverdale and Greenbelt, MD. Before attending law school, Adams worked as a public teacher in Prince George's County. Adams received her B.S. degree from the University of Maryland, College Park, and her J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law.
Kimberly S. Ward (Workers Compensation Commission): Ward is being nominated for appointment to the Maryland Workers Compensation Commission. Most recently, she worked for the Maryland Attorney General as the Principal Counsel to the Commission. She has also served as an Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Litigation Division, Opinions and Advice Division, and the Criminal Appeals Division. She received her B.A. degree from the University of Maryland, and her J.D. from Wake Forest University.
Jeffrey T. Weinberg (Workers Compensation Commission): Weinberg is being nominated for appointment to the Maryland Workers Compensation Commission. He has been a partner at Goodman, Meagher and Enoch, LLP in Baltimore since 1982, and a law clerk and associate there previously. He is a member of the Executive Board of the Maryland Workers Compensation Educational Association, and served as president in 1989 and 1990. Weinberg received his B.A. degree from the University of Maryland, College Park, and his J. D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law.
The full list of green bag nominees appears in the attached document.