Rick Sullivan

Rick Sullivan
Member of the Westfield City Council,
At-large
Assumed office
January 6, 2020
Preceded byMatthew Emmershy
In office
1990–1993
Chief of Staff to the Governor of Massachusetts
In office
June 9, 2014 – January 8, 2015
GovernorDeval Patrick
Preceded byBrendan Ryan
Succeeded bySteve Kadish
Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs
In office
January 5, 2011 – June 9, 2014
GovernorDeval Patrick
Preceded byIan Bowles
Succeeded byMaeve Vallely Bartlett
Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Recreation
In office
May 23, 2007 – January 5, 2011
Preceded byStephen Burrington
Succeeded byJack Murray (Acting)
Edward M. Lambert, Jr.
Mayor of Westfield
In office
January 3, 1994 – May 23, 2007
Preceded byGeorge Varelas
Succeeded byCharles Medeiros (Acting)
Personal details
Born (1959-01-18) January 18, 1959 (age 65)
Great Barrington, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseLisa Sullivan
Children3
Residence(s)Westfield, Massachusetts
EducationBates College (BA)
Western New England University (JD)

Richard K. "Rick" Sullivan, Jr. (born January 18, 1959) is an American politician who served as chief of staff to Governor Deval Patrick from 2014 to 2015. Before assuming the office, Sullivan was the former secretary of energy and environmental affairs of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and former mayor of Westfield, Massachusetts.

Sullivan served as Mayor of Westfield from 1994 until 2007 when he was appointed commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Recreation.[1] Under his leadership, the DCR completed several large-scale capital improvements, including a two-year, $21.3 million project at Mount Greylock State Reservation and a $9 million renovation of the visitor center at Georges Island in Boston.[2] In 2011 he succeeded the departing Ian Bowles as Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs. In this position, Sullivan was in charge of implementing Governor Deval Patrick's solar, wind, biofuel, and energy efficiency initiatives as well as overseeing land-preservation efforts and the implementation of environmental laws and regulations.[1] On May 22, Governor Patrick appointed Sullivan as his chief of staff for the remainder of his administration.[3]

Sullivan is a graduate of Westfield High School and holds degrees from Bates College and Western New England School of Law.[2]

  1. ^ a b LeBlanc, Steve (December 1, 2010). "Mass. governor taps DCR chief as energy secretary". The Associated Press. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Secretary Richard K. Sullivan Jr". The Official Website of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
  3. ^ Walsh, Ryan. "First on 22News: Richard Sullivan to become Governor's Chief of Staff". Retrieved May 22, 2014.