Governor-elect Hogan Announces Four Cabinet Secretary Appointees

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor-elect Larry Hogan announced four Cabinet Secretary appointees today at a press conference in Annapolis. The appointees include: Delegate Kelly Schulz for secretary of the Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation; Bel Air Town Administrator, Dr. Jim Fielder for Appointments secretary; President & CEO of TCE, Incorporated, Gail Bassette for Secretary of the Department of General Services; and Secretary of Juvenile Services Sam Abed, to continue in that role.

"I want to sincerely thank all four of these distinguished and talented individuals for their willingness to join us in public service to our great state," Governor-elect Hogan said. "I look forward to working very closely with each of them over the next four years, as our new team endeavors to put Maryland on a new path and change Maryland for the better."

A diverse group, each appointee brings a wealth of experience to their new role. Dr. Jim Fielder, former secretary of DLLR, currently serves as Town Administrator of Bel Air, Harford County. He has also served as the deputy secretary of the Department of Business and Economic Development, and has a long record of accomplishment in government, academia, and the private sector. He has served as Vice President, Director, and Chief Development Officer of Business Development in the IT and accounting industries, and has served as Vice President of Finance and Administration at Towson University, as well as Director of Budget, HR, and Analysis at the University of Michigan.

Gail Bassette is President & CEO of TCE, Incorporated, a management consulting firm in Laurel. She has over 25 years of experience in Broadcast Media, Business Development, and Project Management. As a government contractor, Bassette understands the challenges faced by small businesses in doing business with government, and understands the importance of delivering services on time and under budget.

Current secretary of the Department Juvenile Services Sam Abed will reprise his position under the Hogan administration. Abed has served as secretary of DJS since 2011, and has led over 2,000 employees and overseen all services of the agency, including probation, supervision, and the treatment and aftercare of committed youth. Prior to his work in Maryland, Abed served as deputy Director of Operations at the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice.

Finally, Delegate Kelly Schulz has been a member of the House of Delegates since 2011, representing Frederick County, and has sat on the House Economic Matters Committee. She is a former federal appointee to the Environmental Protection Agency, and has experience in the private sector.