Wolf taps two for Revenue, Economic Development posts

HARRISBURG - Gov.-elect Tom Wolf has made his first cabinet picks, tapping two individuals with decades of economic policy experience to lead state agencies central to addressing the budget crisis.

Wolf on Monday picked Eileen H. McNulty, revenue secretary under Gov. Robert P. Casey, to lead that agency again, and Dennis M. Davin, director of Allegheny County Economic Development, as secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development.

Wolf, who served as revenue secretary under Gov. Ed Rendell, said that with the state confronting a more than $2 billion deficit and sluggish job growth, he chose the two for their economic-development and public-finance experience.

"At a time when our commonwealth faces serious financial and economic challenges, Dennis and Eileen have the much-needed experience and ability to help me find innovative solutions to move Pennsylvania forward," said Wolf.

The salary for each post is $142,000.

Spokesman Jeff Sheridan said he was not sure if Wolf would make additional cabinet announcements this week.

Wolf, a Democrat, has filled his top senior staff positions, led by chief of staff Katie McGinty, the former secretary of environmental protection. He has 22 other secretaries and cabinet-level staff to name, most of whom must be confirmed by a majority vote of the Republican-controlled Senate.

Davin, 52, of Pittsburgh, will lead a key job-creation agency that employs 303 people. He was in charge of revitalization efforts in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, and helped shape the county's first comprehensive plan on land use, transportation, housing, economic development, infrastructure, and greenways.

McNulty, 62, of New Cumberland, will oversee a staff of 1,866. She served as director of the Office of Comptroller Operations in the budget office between 2011 and 2013, and before that with Wolf as executive deputy secretary of the Department of Revenue in the Rendell administration. She also was a chief financial officer for the Gaming Control Board.

Wolf said McNulty was instrumental in implementing compliance programs to improve revenue collections and modernize operations.