Richard K. "Rick" Sullivan, Jr. (born January 18, 1959) is an American politician who served as chief of staff to Governor

Deval Patrick Deval Laurdine Patrick (born July 31, 1956) is an American politician who served as the 71st governor of Massachusetts from 2007 to 2015. He was the first African Americans, African-American Governor of Massachusetts and the first Democratic Pa ...

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 Westfield is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, Hampden County, in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, United States. Westfield was first settled by Europeans in 1660. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield metrop ...

. Sullivan served as Mayor of Westfield from 1994 until 2007 when he was appointed commissioner of the

Department of Conservation and Recreation The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is a state agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, situated in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. It is best known for its parks and parkways. Th ...

. 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. 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

's solar, wind, biofuel, and energy efficiency initiatives as well as overseeing land-preservation efforts and the implementation of environmental laws and regulations. On May 22, Governor Patrick appointed Sullivan as his chief of staff for the remainder of his administration. Sullivan is a graduate of Westfield High School and holds degrees from

Bates College Bates College () is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Lewiston, Maine. Anchored by the Historic Quad, the campus of Bates totals with a small urban campus which includes 33 Victorian ...

and Western New England School of Law.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sullivan, Rick 1959 births Bates College alumni Chiefs of staff to the governor of Massachusetts Living people Mayors of places in Massachusetts People from Westfield, Massachusetts State cabinet secretaries of Massachusetts Western New England University alumni Massachusetts city council members