Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday named Scott Bowen as the new director of the state Department of Natural Resources.

“We are blessed to have some of the most beautiful beaches, forests, and lakes in the country right in our backyard,” Whitmer said in a statement. “We have a tremendous responsibility to take care of these natural wonders.”

Bowen succeeds Shannon Lott, who served as acting director since the Jan. 1 resignation of Dan Eichinger. He left to lead the state Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy before leaving Whitmer’s administration in April to become a vice president at Ferris State University.

Lott will still remain in an unannounced leadership position at the Department of Natural Resources, Whitmer said.

Bowen has a long career in government, serving as a district court judge in Wyoming, city attorney for Kentwood, Lowell and Rockford and commissioner for the Michigan Lottery from 2008 to 2017. 

Reelected to a second term in November, Whitmer has made some leadership changes this year.

In late June, she selected Phil Roos as the director of the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)  and Kara Cook as the department’s chief of staff. 

In July, she announced Marlon Brown as acting director of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Jessica Weare as acting commissioner at the Michigan Bureau of State Lottery and Justine Johnson as leader of the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification within the Michigan Economic Development Corp.

This fall, the director of the Michigan State Police, Joe Gasper, also plans to retire, according to Gongwer, a news site that covers state government.

In recent months, the governor has also made several changes to her staff, naming Patti Tremblay as director of legislative affairs, Rachel Plawecki as director of special projects and Stacey LaRouche as press secretary. 

https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/michigan-gov-whitmer-taps-former-lottery-commissioner-lead-dnr