Governor-elect Shumlin announced today that Elizabeth Miller will be the next Commissioner of the Department of Public Service. The DPS represents the public interest in matters regarding energy, telecommunications, water and wastewater.
Shumlin made the Miller announcement in Montpelier this morning and then traveled to Rutland in the afternoon to announce that Megan Smith would become the state's next Tourism & Marketing Commissioner.
Of Miller, Shumlin said, ‘There will be no better advocate for the public’s interests than Liz. She will work tirelessly for the citizens and ratepayers of Vermont. I have laid out several ambitious goals for my administration, such as delivering broadband to every last mile by 2013 and developing a successful renewable energy economy. Liz is an incredibly bright, talented and energetic individual who will be instrumental in helping to achieve these goals. ‘
Elizabeth H. Miller is a practicing lawyer and business owner with Spink & Miller PLC in Burlington. This is the same firm newly named Tax Commissioner Mary Peterson also comes from. After graduating from Yale Law School, Liz served as a law clerk to the Honorable James L. Oakes, Circuit Judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, in Brattleboro. She then practiced law in San Francisco, California, where she helped represent independent power producers in federal court and administrative actions. After moving back to Vermont in 1998, Liz launched a small law firm in Burlington, helping it grow into a successful commercial litigation practice.
As a business owner and community member, Liz has been involved in a variety of organizations. She has been a member of the Energy Policy and Health Care study groups for the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce, and has served on the boards of the Vermont Alliance for Arts Education, Local Motion, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, the Chittenden County Bar Association, and the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce. She recently joined the Burlington Bike Path Task Force, appointed by the City Council. She has taught at Community College of Vermont and has served on Congressman Welch’s Business Advisory Council. As Commissioner of DPS, Liz’s salary will be approximately $96,000.
Megan Smith has 30 years of business experience, including 15 years in corporate hospitality and owner/operator of two businesses including the Vermont Inn. She currently develops and maintains the Vermont Marble Trail, as Executive Director of Dimensions of Marble which is a statewide tourism initiative. In that role, Smith works with all Chambers, Visitor Centers and Historical Societies on the western side of the state.
‘Megan Smith has just the right blend of business and tourism experience that Vermont needs to attract new businesses and tourists to Vermont,’ said Shumlin. ‘I am excited that she has joined our jobs team.’
From 2008 to 2010, Smith was a Representative from Rutland/Windsor 1 and served on the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee. Prior to that, Smith was District Manager for Au Bon Pain. As District Manager, Megan supervised up to 18 cafes in several markets. From 1977 to 1987, Megan served as the Human Resources and Food and Beverage Manager where she oversaw the opening of 2 restaurants and 2 banquet departments on new hotels. Megan received a B.S. from Southern Illinois University. As Commissioner of Tourism and Marketing her salary will be approximately $79,000.
‘Megan is a respected hospitality entrepreneur with a diverse background that brings much strength to the position,’ said Lawrence Miller, Secretary-Designee of the Agency of Commerce and Community Development. ‘As someone who moved to Vermont to open a business she personally understands the relationship between tourism and economic development.’
Source: Shumlin's office. 12.14.2010