Decker leaving, Skvarla to take over Commerce

Heard on the Street, December 2, 2014.

It appears the rumors about Commerce Secretary Sharon Decker are true and that she will be leaving to take a job with Raycom Sports, based in South Carolina. Insiders say that Decker wanted to make sure the transition to the new public-private partnership for economic development was made smoothly and that the permanent CEO of that organization was selected before leaving. It was announced yesterday that Christopher Chung, an economic developer who launched Missouri’s business development corporation, has been named chief executive officer of the upstart Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.

Governor McCrory is expected to make the Decker announcement later today.

Decker was one of Governor Pat McCrory's more popular cabinet Secretaries and will be missed by lawmakers, political observers and economic developers. Taking her place will by DENR Secretary John Skvarla, who formerly was CEO for Restoration Systems before being named to DENR.  No names have been suggested as to who might take Skvarla's place at DENR, but environmentalists, legislators and utility companies will be watching with interest.

Decker's leaving and Skavarla's move will be the third cabinet-level opening for the McCrory administration as it prepares to begin the third year of its administration and may not be the last.

Rumors are also flying that DHHS Secretary Aldona Wos will be leaving before year's end...but those rumors have been circulating for more than a year. Wos has been the most controversial of McCrory's appointments and has locked horns with legislative leaders, especially in the Senate even as the governor has been extremely supportive of her performance.

Wos took office echoing the governor in saying that Medicaid was broken and needed fixing. End of year reports indicate Medicaid had a surplus of some $60 million at the June 30th fiscal year's end and Wos has said the Medicaid ship has turned around and is on an even keel. Many speculate this would be an ideal time for her leaving-taking and would provide a clean slate for the governor to work with the legislature in completing Medicaid Reform in 2015.