New Secretary named for Business, Transportation and Housing Agency

Governor Schwarzenegger has named Dale Bonner as the new secretary of the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency (BT&H). He replaces Sunne Wright McPeak, who resigned last year. Mr. Bonner, 41, of Los Angeles, has been a partner in the law firm Epstein Becker & Green since 2002, where he specialized in government contracts, health care law and represents domestic and foreign firms in state and local government procurement issues. Prior to going into private practice in 1999, he served as commissioner for the California Department of Corporations from 1998 to 1999 and deputy secretary and general counsel for BT&H from 1996 to 1998.

BT&H is a huge bureaucracy consisting of 13 departments with more than 42,000 employees and a budget greater than $11 billion. Its operations oversee financial services, transportation, affordable housing, real estate, managed health care and public safety. When the State Legislature abolished the California Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency, Governor Schwarzenegger added “Business” to the Transportation and Housing agency name and then consolidated most remaining business and economic programs in that Agency. Mr. Bonner has his work cut out for him. BT&H is responsible for rebuilding the State’s infrastructure using $37 billion in bonds voters approved last November, implementing the new greenhouse gas reduction law, and fixing the California’s dysfunctional economic development programs.