Staff Directories
Cabinet
- Administration Director -- Janet Kelly
- Agriculture Director -- Ron de Yong
- Budget Director -- Dan Villa
- Chief Business Development Officer -- Evan Barrett
- Commerce Director -- Dore Schwinden
- Corrections Director -- Mike Ferriter
- Environmental Quality Director -- Richard Opper
- Fish, Wildlife and Parks Director -- Joe Maurier
- Labor and Industry Commissioner -- Keith Kelly
- Military Affairs Adjutant General -- Brigadier General Matthew T. Quinn
- Montana Lottery Director - - Angela Wong
- Natural Resources and Conservation Director -- Mary Sexton
- Northwest Power and Conservation Council Member -- Rhonda Whiting
- Northwest Power and Conservation Council Member -- Bruce Measure
- Public Health and Human Services Director -- Anna Whiting-Sorrell
- Revenue Director -- Dan Bucks
- Transportation Director -- Tim Reardon
Administration Director -- Janet Kelly
Kelly previously served as a County Commissioner in Custer County. Prior to that she worked as a Business Instructor at Miles Community College, and an Administrative Assistant at the Montana State Department of Social & Rehabilitation Services in Miles City; and as a Business Manager for Virginia Energy & Land Company, Moss, Frink & Franklin, McCollister Belcher, and The Delta Group - all in Washington D.C. Kelly graduated from John R. Buchtel High School in Akron, Ohio. She received her bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Wisconsin and her master's degree in business administration from The George Washington University in Washington, DC. She is married to Patrick J. Kelly.
Agriculture Director -- Ron de Yong
Ron de Yong was appointed as the new Director of the Department of Agriculture. de Yong owns and operates a 320 acre family farm in Kalispell and teaches agriculture policy and economics at Cal Poly State University. He has been an economist for National Farmers Union, served as a Montana State Committee Member for the USDA Farm Service Agency and has been a State Director for Montana Farmers Union. de Yong has a bachelors degree in agricultural science and philosophy from Montana State University and a masters degree in economics from the University of Montana. He is married with three children.
Budget Director -- Dan Villa
Dan Villa was born and raised in Anaconda. He still commutes daily from his hometown to serve as budget director. Prior to his current duties, Dan was Governor Schweitzer's Education Policy Advisor. He was elected three times to the Montana House of Representatives where he sat on the Education, Business and Labor, Agriculture, Rules and Appropriations Committees. Dan was previously elected to the Anaconda School Board and served as chair of the Anaconda Local Development Corporation and the Deer Lodge County Planning Board. He is the former Executive Director of Anaconda Environmental Education Institute, a non-profit charged with educating the public about and encouraging development in Anaconda's Superfund sites. He has a bachelor's degree in Business and Information Technology from Montana Tech and is pursuing his master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Montana. Dan is married to Brandie (Barkell) and has two children, Reese and Dane.
Chief Business Development Officer -- Evan Barrett
Prior to joining the Schweitzer Administration in January, 2005, Barrett served for 18 years as Executive Director of the Butte Local Development Corporation, a highly successful local economic development organization. There he helped create and retain thousands of jobs and participated in some of Montana's largest industrial recruitment efforts. His activities as Legislative and Public Policy Chair for the Montana Economic Developers Association put him in the forefront of economic development policy in Montana from 1993 through 2004. Between 1969 and 1986, Barrett assisted former Governor Forrest Anderson’s executive reorganization effort and held senior positions with Governor Thomas Judge, Congressman Pat Williams and Senator John Melcher. Barrett is a graduate of Red Lodge High School. He attended Montana State University, St. John's University where he received his bachelor's degree in government, and attended the University of Montana’s Graduate School in political science. Barrett and his wife Gail live on the Butte hill. He has three daughters, a son, two grandsons and a grand-daughter.
Commerce Director -- Dore Schwinden
Schwinden has a long history of service to Montana in both the public and private sectors. Schwinden previously served as Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Industry from 2005 through 2010. Prior to that, he served as Legislative Director and Land Board Advisor to the Montana State Auditor. Schwinden was also a consultant to the Stillwater Mining Company and served in the Montana Legislature a State Representative. Schwinden received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Montana. He has one son, Nick.
Corrections Director -- Mike Ferriter
A 29-year veteran of the corrections profession, Ferriter became director for the Montana Department of Corrections in July 2006. The Butte native oversees an agency with 1,200 employees, an annual budget of about $136 million and responsibility for more than 12,000 offenders. Ferriter had been administrator of the Adult Community Corrections Division since 1995. He began his corrections career as a Youth Court officer in 1977 and later was parole officer, director of the Missoula Prerelease Center, probation and parole chief, and chief of the Community Corrections Bureau in the department. Ferriter graduated from Butte Central High School and earned a bachelor's degree in vocational rehabilitation from Eastern Montana College – now Montana State University-Billings – in 1977. He also has completed all the course work for a master’s degree in public administration at the University of Montana. He is a member of the national Interstate Compact Commission, a member of the National Institute of Corrections-sponsored Community Corrections Executive Network, past member of the American Probation and Parole Officers Association, a regional field training coordinator for the NIC, a member of the Governor’s Homeless Council, and an ethics instructor for probation and parole officers and boot camp drill instructors at the Montana Law Enforcement Academy. Ferriter and his wife, Betty, have five children: Erin, Mark, Colleen, Mike and Kevin.
Environmental Quality Director -- Richard Opper
Opper previously served as Executive Director of the Missouri River Basin Association, a commission comprised of governor-appointed representatives of eight states and the Indian tribes in the Missouri River Basin. The commission is based in Lewistown, Montana. Prior to that he worked as the Executive Director for the Missoula-based Northern Lights Institute. Opper received his bachelor's degree in agricultural sciences from Oklahoma State University and his master's degree in soil science in 1979 from Montana State University. His research emphasis was in mine reclamation. He is married to Sally Mueller; they have one son, Isaac.
Fish, Wildlife and Parks Director -- Joe Maurier
Maurier was appointed after serving as Parks Administrator at FWP since February of 2006. Prior to that he was a Park Manager, Regional Director and then the Deputy Director for Colorado State Parks. As Deputy Director at Colorado State Parks he was responsible for operations and management of 43 park and recreation areas with an annual operations and capital budget of $50 million. In Montana as Parks Administrator Maurier had direct responsibility for our 52 state park units, the fishing access program, recreational grants and portions of the snowmobile program. Maurier is a member of the Montana Park and Recreation Association and National Association of State Park Directors. He has a bachelor’s degree in Park and Outdoor Recreation from Colorado State University. He is married to Alice, they have two sons.
Labor and Industry Commissioner -- Keith Kelly
Kelly previously served as a Division Administrator at the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. Kelly was appointed by President Clinton as Administrator of the Farm Service Agency in Washington D.C. He was the Director of the Montana Department of Agriculture under former Governor Ted Schwinden, served as the Deputy Secretary of State under former Secretary Mike Cooney and was the Director of the Arizona Department of Agriculture for 7 years under a Republican Governor. Kelly served with the Army 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam and was awarded the Bronze Star. He graduated from Red Lodge High School, and received his bachelor's degree in Ag Business and his master's degree in Economics both at Montana State University. Kelly is married with 4 children and 4 grandchildren.
Military Affairs Adjutant General -- Brigadier General Matthew T. Quinn
Prior to his appointment as The Adjutant General, Brigadier General Matthew T. Quinn served as the Assistant Adjutant General – Army, for the State of Montana and also served as the Commander of the Montana Army National Guard. General Quinn's responsibilities have been to provide qualified Army National Guard Soldiers ready to deploy in support of national defense, homeland defense or military support to civil authority. Prior to his appointment as the Assistant Adjutant General, Army, he served as the Commander, 95th Troop Command, Vice Chief of the Joint Staff, J-6 and 495th Transportation Battalion Commander. General Quinn is a veteran of both Operation DESERT STORM, 1991, where he served as Commander of A Company, 34th Signal Battalion and Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, 2003 – 2004, where he served as Commander of the 495th Transportation Battalion.
Montana Lottery - - Angela Wong
Angela Wong was appointed to head the Montana Lottery in February of 2011. Wong's professional background includes business, marketing, and public relations experience with both the public and private sectors. Before her February 2011 appointment to the Lottery by Governor Brian Schweitzer, Angela held positions with the State of Montana for several years. Among them, she was an energy development specialist for the Department of Commerce and the brand manager for the Office of Tourism. In the private sector, Angela has assisted a number of small businesses, working to develop business/marketing plans. Angela graduated with a bachelor of arts from Carroll College, where she studied international relations. Her degree focused on business, political science, and Spanish.
Natural Resources and Conservation Director -- Mary Sexton
Sexton has a long history of public service, she has most recently been a County Commissioner in Teton County. Additionally, she is involved with her family's farm/ranch operation and the Stage Stop Inn in Choteau. Sexton worked as the Administrator and Education Director for the Nature Conservancy's Pine Butte Preserve and spent over ten years teaching high school English and German in Hamilton. She has been a member of the Choteau Chamber of Commerce, Governor's Council on Public Wildlife/Private Lands, BLM Resource Advisory Council and State of Montana Shared Leadership Committee. Sexton attended CM Russell High School in Great Falls, received her bachelor's degree from Stanford University and her master's degree from the University of Montana. She is married to Rich Clough and has one daughter, Maggie.
Northwest Power and Conservation Council Member -- Rhonda Whiting
Whiting is a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. She previously served as Vice President of Communications for S&K Technologies Inc. Prior to that she was appointed by President Clinton to work as the National Outreach Coordinator for Native American Economic Development at the Small Business Administration. Additionally she owned her own communications consulting business; and worked in the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Legal Department. She has also worked in education as the Assistant Director and Instructor for Native American Studies at the University of Montana. Her political experience includes Political Director of Native American Outreach for the Democratic National Committee, and various positions within the Montana and local Democratic Party. Whiting attended Hellgate High School, and has a Masters Degree in Education, and a Juris Doctorate, both from the University of Montana. She has three daughters, and five grandchildren.
Northwest Power and Conservation Council Member -- Bruce Measure
Measure previously served as President of Measure & Wilson, P.C., in Kalispell. Prior to that he served as a Forester for Plum Creek Timber Co., and spent ten years as a Partner in the law offices of Ambrose G. Measure. He attended Flathead High School. Measure received his associate of arts degree in forestry at the Flathead Valley Community College, his bachelor's degree in political science at the University of Montana, and his juris doctor at the University of Montana School of Law. He has one son, Buck.
Public Health and Human Services Director -- Anna Whiting-Sorrell
Prior to her appointment, Anna served as the Governor’s Office Policy Advisor on Families since 2005. She has spent her professional career working for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, where she is an enrolled member, most recently working in Tribal Administration overseeing a number of programs and the Tribes’ effort in self-governance and other legislative efforts. Whiting-Sorrell developed and implemented a nationally recognized substance abuse prevention and treatment program for the Tribes for nearly a decade. She is a graduate of the University of Montana with a BA in Political Science and Education, and a Masters of Public Administration. Whiting-Sorrell and her husband Gene live on the Flathead Reservation in Ronan with their daughter Katy. Gene’s older daughter Gena and husband Victor live in Missoula, and son Eugene recently returned from Saudi Arabia and is now stationed outside of London, England, with his wife and three sons and a baby daughter, where he is serving in the U.S. Air Force.
Revenue Director -- Dan Bucks
Bucks previously served as Executive Director of the Multistate Tax Commission. He served as the Deputy Director of the Department of Revenue from 1981-1988. He also worked as the Chief Tax Policy Advisor to the Governor of South Dakota. Bucks graduated from Doland High School, Doland, SD. He received his bachelor's degree from Grinnell College and his master's degree from the University of Montana. He is married to Jane Bucks, and they have six children and five grandchildren.
Transportation Director -- Tim Reardon
Reardon has served as Chief Legal Counsel at the Division of Workers Compensation from 1976 until fall 1980. In August of 1981 he was appointed to a 6 year term as the State Workers Compensation Judge by Governor Schwinden and was reappointed to his second term in 1987. In 1994 he was named Chief Legal Counsel of the Montana Department of Transportation. Reardon was born and raised in Anaconda, graduated from Carroll College in 1970 and from The University of Montana in 1973. He and his wife Julie have 4 children and grandchildren.
