As expected, the recently re-elected Lt. Governor Bill Bolling is among the team.
However, McDonnell also tapped Loudoun’s own, Bill Mims for the transition team. Currently serving as Virginia Attorney General after McDonnell resigned to run for Governor, Mims is a familiar face in Loudoun County, having served as both delegate (1992-1998) and state senator (1998-2006). Mims resigned from the state senate to act as McDonnell’s Chief Deputy Attorney General.
A former President of the Loudoun Bar and the Committee for Dulles, Mims was again tapped to assist in the transition. On Nov. 10, Hunton & Williams LLP announced that Mims would be joining the firm as a partner in their administrative law group when he leaves office in January.
Mims is not the only member of the transition committee with strong ties to Northern Virginia. Bobbie Kilberg, CEO and President of the Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) was also named. Kilberg has been with the organization, the largest technology council in the nation, since 1998.
“On behalf of the Northern Virginia Technology Council, I am delighted to participate as one of the five Co-Chairs of Governor-Elect McDonnell's transition,” Kilberg said. “The Governor-Elect clearly recognizes the importance of the technology industry to the economic growth of the Commonwealth and we look forward to working with him, his staff, and the incoming Administration.”
A former White House staffer, Kilberg was appointed to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology in 2001. Kilberg is a past candidate for office herself, having run for the State Senate in 1993. She was also ran for the Republican nomination for Lt. Governor in 1993.
Also named to lead the transition are Thomas Farrell, a longtime friend of McDonnell and President and CEO of Dominion Power, and Kay Cole James, former secretary of Health and Human Resources under former Governor George Allen and director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management from 2001-2005.
In addition to the co-chair appointments, McDonnell has also appointed several staff members of his transition team. The list includes Janet Polarek as Deputy Director, Personnel and Administration. Polarek was the Chief Operations officer for the gubernatorial campaign.
A veteran of the George Allen and Doug Wilder administrations, Eric Finkbeiner has been named Director of Policy. A veteran of the Attorney General’s Office, Melissa Laughner, who served as Policy Director for McDonnell during the campaign, will remain as an Assistant Director for Policy along with Mike Reynold—Deputy Campaign Manager for McDonnell’s campaign and former State Director for McCain for President.
Former Chief of Staff in the Attorney General’s Office, Jason Eige will continue his role as Counsel for the transition.
Dave Rexrode has been appointed Director of Community Outreach. Rexrode was a Deputy Campaign Manager for McDonnell and has been active in Virginia political campaigns for over a decade.
Monica Block has been appointed as Scheduler, a role she served in the campaign as well. Adam Zubowsky, a Field Director from the campaign, has been named as Aide.
I helped in the campaign somewhat and as I enjoyed the event at the Cavalier Monday I thought how else can I help restore AMERICAN to America. When Bob mentioned his transition team was forming, I decided Id like to help again.