Senate confirms Penny, Boyette as cabinet secretaries

Christine T. Nguyen—The North State Journal
Senate President pro tem Phil Berger calls the N.C. Senate into session at the General Assembly.

RALEIGH — On Thursday, the N.C. Senate unanimously confirmed Ron Penny as secretary of the Department of Revenue and Eric Boyette as secretary of the Department of Information Technology.
“I appreciate Secretary Penny’s and Secretary Boyette’s participation in the confirmation process and willingness to extend their public service to North Carolina by taking on new roles,” said Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham). “I applaud their commitment to keeping our taxpayer data and information systems secure.”
The posts are the last two members of Gov. Roy Cooper’s administration to be officially confirmed by Senate committees that reviewed their qualifications and interviewed Cooper’s nominees in Senate hearings.
Boyette previously worked for the N.C. Department of Transportation where he served as chief information officer, inspector general and Division of Motor Vehicles Commissioner. Boyette earned a bachelor’s degree from Barton College.
Penny is a civil rights attorney who served as the vice president of human resources for the UNC system and is former director of the North Carolina Office of State Personnel. He also served on Gov. Beverly Perdue’s Budget Reform and Accountability Commission and was chair of the Department of Public Administration at North Carolina Central University.
In addition, the governor’s office published eight appointments to board and commissions this week:

J. Patrick Danahy as chair of the North Carolina Partnership for Children Board of Directors. Danahy is currently president and CEO of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce.

Kevin Howell to the North Carolina Symphony Society Incorporated Board of Trustees. Howell is senior vice president for external affairs for the University of North Carolina’s 17-campus system.
Timothy M. Altman to the North Carolina Symphony Society Incorporated Board of Trustees. Altman currently chairs the Department of Music at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
Keith Donahue to the North Carolina Symphony Society Incorporated Board of Trustees. Donahue served most recently as executive vice president of corporate growth at Telerent Leasing Corporation, a prominent health care technology firm.
To the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission, Cooper appointed:

Dr. Suzanne Lazorick who currently serves as ECU’s Brody School of Medicine’s associate director for community research and promotion.
To the General Statutes Commission, Cooper named two members-at-large:

Carlton M. Mansfield, an attorney and resident of Pembroke.
Marc Bishop, an attorney and resident of Greensboro.
To the North Carolina State Banking Commission, Cooper appointed:

Ken Flynt, of Waynesville, an associate dean at the Western Carolina University College of Business.