Governor Salutes Black Appointees

Special Reception Recognizes Valuable, Significant African American Capitol Executives

OBSERVER STAFF REPORT

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger saluted four of his African American Executive Appointees recently at a reception held at the Firehouse Restaurant in Old Sacramento.

Nearly 200 well wishers joined the governor in honoring gubernatorial appointees Dale E. Bonner, secretary of the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency; Regina V. Evans, deputy cabinet secretary; Sharon Majors-Lewis, judicial appointments secretary; and Timothy A. Simon, Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission.

The event recognized the appointees’ accomplishment rising through public and private administration to become key government decision makers.

Hosted by prominent business leader Napoleon Brandford III, along with local political consultant James W. Sweeney, and the Los Angeles Focus Newspaper, the invitational event attracted a cross-section of local and statewide political, business and community leaders.

Greeting the guests were former San Francisco Mayor Willie L. Brown Jr. and current State Treasurer Bill Lockyer.

The event became especially festive when the governor announced that he signed the budget, ending the seven-week late spending plan.

Schwarzenegger teasingly said, “It happened on the day Willie Brown came back to Sacramento.”

He jokingly said that he didn’t know if Brown had anything to do with it.

Members of the Legislative Black Caucus, Mervyn Dymally, Wilmer Amina Carter and Curren Price were also in attendance.