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Perdue picks leaders for DOT, commerce, culture
She repeats plan to change transportation board
AP Photo
N.C. Gov.-elect Bev Perdue announces three more members of her Cabinet: Keith Crisco (from left), Linda Carlisle and Gene Conti. She is to name more today.
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Published: January 6, 2009
RALEIGH
Gov.-elect Bev Perdue named more Cabinet-level leaders yesterday, choosing the former chief deputy at the Department of Transportation to become the agency's new secretary.
Perdue's pick of Gene Conti, previously a top assistant leader on transportation issues in both state and federal government, meshes with her campaign proclamations that the agency would be run with transportation professionals at the top.
Perdue also named Asheboro city councilman Keith Crisco as the next commerce secretary, and former business owner Linda Carlisle of Greensboro will lead the Department of Cultural Resources.
The DOT has been struggling with static or declining road-building revenue, leading to long delays in projects even as there's an estimated $65 billion shortfall between projected transportation revenues and expenses through 2030.
Conti, 62, was in the No. 2 spot at the N.C. Department of Transportation from 2001 to 2003 in Gov. Mike Easley's administration.
Before that, while an assistant U.S. transportation secretary for three years, Conti helped carry out a presidential order designed to promote mobility and reduce pollution in the Washington area.
Conti's resume in the federal government will help the state work with Washington, Perdue said. North Carolina wants its fair share of highway and bridge money from the stimulus package President-elect Obama wants.
"It's far too early for promises (but) I want to assure the people of North Carolina that we will be open and honest at DOT," Conti said.
Perdue, a Democrat, repeated yesterday that she will change the N.C. Board of Transportation once she takes office, trying to shift it to a more strategic policy panel and away from approving road-building contracts. The 19 board members are appointed by the governor.
"The DOT board members are out of the transportation-projects business," Perdue said. But she will need help from legislators to complete that task by changing state law.
Although Conti has political connections -- campaign reports show he gave $2,200 to Perdue's campaign since 2007 and he managed Erskine Bowles' unsuccessful 2004 U.S. Senate campaign -- some outsiders said that Conti's hiring puts a knowledgeable administrator in charge.
"We're pretty enthusiastic about it," said Marc Finlayson, a co-chairman of NC GO!, a coalition of local governments and road-building trade groups.
Carlisle, 58, a former original member of the N.C. Education Lottery Commission, said she will work hard to make the Department of Cultural Resources an avenue to create jobs by improving North Carolina's brand among the arts and history.
Crisco, the president and chairman of Asheboro Elastics Corp. since 1996, will be the state's chief business-recruiting official.
A former White House fellow during the Nixon administration and Burlington Industries executive, Crisco, 65, said he supports the use of incentives to attract new companies to set up shop in North Carolina and to help existing industries.
Crisco and Carlisle also gave money to Perdue's campaign for governor, but Perdue said she "never once looked at a campaign report" in making her Cabinet choices.
Perdue also named Moses Carey Jr. of Chapel Hill as chairman of the Employment Security Commission, which among other things manages the state's unemployment benefits. Carey directed a health-disparities program at N.C. Central University in Durham.
Perdue, the current lieutenant governor, has now named six of the 10 Cabinet-level appointments and plans to name more at another news conference today. She will be inaugurated as governor Saturday. She succeeds Easley, who was barred by law from serving a third consecutive term.
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