Vol. 76, No. 9, September
2003
Just What Is the "New Economy"?
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Nettles
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Morgan
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Economic development is one of the major initiatives of the Doyle
administration. Key players in developing an economic development
strategy are attorneys Cory Nettles, Secretary of Commerce, and Michael
Morgan, Secretary of Revenue.
Morgan, a 1984 graduate of the U.W. Law School, has experience in
economic development work in the city of Milwaukee. Most recently he
handled investments for the Helen Bader Foundation, which focuses on
supporting economic development, education, and Alzheimer's
research.
Before that he headed Spirit of Milwaukee, a nonprofit organization
that aims to promote the city's cultural, educational, and historic
assets. He also served as a commissioner of the Milwaukee Department of
City Development, as well as in other city government departments, and
he was a Milwaukee County assistant district attorney.
All along in his career, his law school education has been a plus, in
Morgan's view. "A good legal education is flat-out a good education," he
says, "and an excellent course of graduate study. The analytical skills
you're encouraged to hone during law school serve you well."
Those analytical skills are highly useful now that Morgan finds
himself in what he describes as "the rarified air of tax codes." Indeed,
tax policy is integral in designing the state's economic development
plan, he points out.
"Having a good, sound tax policy has a lot to do with the economic
health of the state," he explains. "For instance, there's the whole
debate over single sales factor apportionment in terms of taxation on
corporations. The passage of that law will have an impact on economic
development. So it makes sense for the secretary of revenue to have some
say in this. Cory and I work well together."
Nettles earned his law degree at the U.W. Law School in 1996. He then
joined Quarles & Brady in Milwaukee, where he concentrated as a
business lawyer. Working with some of the best businesses in the state
and in the country, he learned firsthand about companies' business
objectives, the kinds of policies that help or hurt them, and the
thinking that drives business strategies.
"It was through that experience," Nettles says, "that I developed an
abiding interest in helping businesses to succeed." Now he'll use what
he's learned to help shape Wisconsin's approach to the "new economy" - a
much-used term these days that Nettles says holds different meanings for
different people.
"I think what it means for us," he says, "is that our state economy
is in a transition to a knowledge-based economy, where knowledge is
king. We have to make sure we're educating the future workers in our
state to perform well in that kind of economy."
Leaving Quarles & Brady was a difficult decision, Nettles says,
and adjusting to his new role in government naturally has had a few
bumps. "I've had to get used to the nuances in the way government
functions," he notes, "and the fact that this is extremely political.
Sometimes to get from point A to point B you have to go through C, D,
and E. It can be extremely circuitous, and that can be challenging and
frustrating."
Along the way, he turns to his legal training and experience
regularly. In fact, he feels that the hefty concentration of attorney
skills among the people in this administration translates into improved
decision making.
"Whether it's the ability to think on our feet," Nettles says, "or to
solve problems, to negotiate, to question, to see both sides of
complicated issues - all those skills serve us well as managers and
policy-makers in this administration. I think that makes us a strong
team."
Other Top Appointees
Stan
Davis, Deputy Chief of Staff/Legal Counsel. Most recent prior
position: Associate attorney at Wickwire Gavin, Madison. Other
experience: Wisconsin assistant attorney general, where he worked in
civil litigation. He acted as the state's lead contact attorney for
implementing and enforcing the settlement with tobacco companies;
legislative correspondent for the late U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone; worked
in the congressional office of the late U.S. Rep. Bruce Vento; high
school teacher. Law degree: George Washington University Law School,
1998.
Scott
Hassett, Secretary of Natural Resources. Most recent prior
position: Partner, Lawton & Cates, Madison, where for 22 years he
handled civil, criminal, employment, and environmental litigation cases.
Other experience: Chair of the board of directors of the Natural
Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, which awards grants for environmental
and educational projects; managing editor, Jefferson Banner,
Jefferson, Wis. Law degree: Rutgers School of Law, 1980.
Rod
Nilsestuen, Secretary of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer
Protection. Most recent prior position: President/CEO,
Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives for 24 years. Other experience:
Founded Cooperative Development Services, a first-of-its-kind model for
cooperative development, which resulted in the creation of hundreds of
cooperative development projects nationwide; founding chair of the
National Rural Cooperative Development Task Force; helped create the
Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, the Midwest Dairy Marketing Initiative,
the Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board, and the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing
Board. Law degree: U.W. Law School, 1974.
David
Riemer, Administrator, Division of Executive Budget and Finance
(aka budget director). Most recent prior position: Director, city of
Milwaukee Department of Administration. Other experience: Worked in
Milwaukee city government for 15 years in various positions -
administration secretary, chief of staff for the mayor, and director of
budget and management; legal adviser to former Gov. Patrick Lucey;
counsel to U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy; counsel for Time Insurance Co. Law
degree: Harvard Law School, 1975.
Karen Timberlake, Director, Office of
State Employment Relations. Most recent prior position: Deputy
Administrator, Department of Justice's Division of Legal Services. Other
experience: Assistant attorney general in the government operations and
administrative law unit, and an attorney in the employment litigation
unit; Attorney General's representative to the state Group Insurance
Board; counsel to the Crime Victim Rights Board. Law degree: Harvard Law
School, 1995. [Editor's Note: The biennial budget bill (Act 33)
created the new Office of State Employment Relations, attached to the
DOA for administrative purposes, to replace the Department of Employment
Relations, which was eliminated as a separate agency. Gov. Doyle
recently appointed Timberlake as Director of the new office; she had
been Secretary of the DER.]
Wisconsin Lawyer
