This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Jan. 5, 2012 - Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has tapped former St. Louis Board of Aldermen president Jim Shrewsbury, and former state Rep. Jim Avery, for key appointments on state boards that oversee labor and the St. Louis convention center.
Nixon also has named former state Economic Development Director David Kerr to the Missouri Technology Corp. -- the former employer of Jason Hall, Kerr's replacement.
The governor announced Wednesday that he is nominating Avery, a Republican from south St. Louis County, to the state Labor and Industrial Relations Commission. If confirmed by the state Senate, Avery would serve until June 27, 2016.
Avery currently is chairman of the state Board of Mediation. He served in the state House from 2003-2009.
Shrewsbury, a Democrat, has been chosen for the St. Louis Regional Convention Center and Sports Complex Authority. A lawyer, Shrewsbury served as a St. Louis alderman for 24 years, including a five-year stint as board president.
Shrewsbury also will need state Senate approval to serve on the sports authority; the term would end May 31, 2016.
No Senate approval is needed for Kerr, who just stepped down as the state's chief economic development official. Kerr, of Ballwin, has been named to the Missouri Technology Corporation, which is charged with "finding better ways for Missouri businesses to work with universities to solve the businesses' technical problems; bringing increased research funding to universities for life sciences, information technology and advanced manufacturing; and creating and managing a system to bring new technologies and ideas effectively into the consumer marketplace to create new jobs and help businesses grow."
Hall, recently named by the governor to replace Kerr, had been executive director of the Missouri Technology Corporation.
The governor also named several other area civic leaders to various posts -- all of which will require Senate approval. The nominees include:
-- Christine Chadwick, to the Harris-Stowe State University Board of Regents;
-- Melanie R. Rippetoe, of Vinita Park, to the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (MOHELA);
-- Kevin Roberts, of Hillsboro, to the State Fair Commission.
