SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced appointments to his Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) executive team.
He has appointed Kish Rajan as the new GO-Biz director. Mr. Rajan will work closely with the Governor’s Senior Jobs Advisor Mike Rossi to lead the executive team in streamlining services for business leaders and enhancing job creation, economic development and international trade statewide.
Rajan, 42, of Walnut Creek, has been principal at Kish Rajan Public Affairs since 2010 and has been a councilmember for the City of Walnut Creek since 2008. He was director of mobile sales at SanDisk Corporation from 2007 to 2010 and was director of alliances at Good Technology Inc. from 2004 to 2007. Rajan was regional sales manager at Siemens from 2002 to 2004. He served as chair of the Walnut Creek Transportation Commission from 2007 to 2008. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $136,152. Rajan is a Democrat.
Governor Brown also announced the following appointments:
Lillian Conroe, 56, of Los Angeles, has been appointed small business specialist at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, where she has served as senior permit assistance specialist since 2010. She was a supervising integrated waste management specialist at CalRecycle from 2002 to 2010 and was director at the California Environmental Protection Agency Business Revitalization Center and Permit Assistance Center from 1996 to 2002. She was an employment program representative at the California Employment Development Department from 1994 to 1996 and is a member of California Women Lead. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $77,496. Conroe is a Democrat.
Janelle Green, 32, of Sacramento, has been appointed small business specialist in the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. Green has been a business planning analyst for the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District since 2012. She served in multiple positions at Economic and Planning Systems Inc. from 2006 to 2012, including senior associate and associate. Green earned a Master of City and Regional Planning degree from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $90,000. Green is a Democrat
Jorge Jaramillo, 40, of San Francisco, has been appointed deputy director of external affairs at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. Jaramillo has been president at the Open Markets Company since 2003. He was marketing manager for Excite @ Home from 1999 to 2002 and was associate producer at Excite from 1998 to 1999. Jaramillo was a manager at Mundo Comercio Ltda from 1993 to 1996. He currently serves as president of the San Mateo County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and vice chairman of the U.S. Department of Commerce National District Export Council. Jaramillo serves on the board of directors of the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government Alumni Association and San Mateo County Community Colleges Foundation Board. Jaramillo is chairman of the Workforce Investment Board of San Mateo County. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100,008. Jaramillo is a Democrat.
Will Koch, 36, of Mather, has been appointed deputy director of legislative and inter-governmental affairs at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. Koch has held multiple positions at the California Franchise Tax Board since 1999, including legislative analyst, personal income tax technical advisor, tax collection specialist and tax collector. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100,008. Koch is a Democrat
Jeff Malin, 32, of Los Angeles, has been appointed senior business development specialist in Los Angeles at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. Malin has been founding principal at JMKP Inc. since 2011 and was director of development for the Amidi Group Inc. from 2006 to 2011. He served as director of development operations at the City of Los Angeles, Office of Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa and the Office of Mayor James K. Hahn from 2002 to 2006. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $90,000. Malin is registered decline-to-state.
Paul Martin, 70, of Petaluma, has been appointed deputy director of permit assistance in the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. Martin was director of environmental services at Western United Dairymen from 2000 to 2012. He was a field representative for Western United Dairymen from 1999 to 2000 and owner and operator of Paul and Jill Martin Dairy from 1976 to 1999. Martin was a partner at Claude Martin and Son Dairy from 1969 to 1976. He is a member of the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Air Quality Task Force and serves on the Farm, Ranch and Rural Communities Federal Advisory Committee of the United States Environmental Protection Agency. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100,000. Martin is a Democrat
Leslie McBride, 51, of Yuba City, has been appointed deputy director of business investment services at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. McBride has been mayor pro tem of Yuba City since 2012. She was chief executive officer at Keller Williams Yuba Sutter Realty from 2008 to 2011 and an independent consultant at McBride Group Real Estate Consulting from 1998 to 2009. McBride served as the mayor of Yuba City in 2009 and was project manager at Spieker Properties Inc. from 1997 to 1998. She was a self-employed realtor from 1994 to 1997 and was asset manager at Sares Regis Group LLC from 1989 to 1994. McBride is a member of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, and served as chair in 2010. She is a member of Rotary International and Soroptimist International. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $105,000. McBride is a Republican.
Paul Oliva, 45, of San Francisco, has been appointed deputy director of International Affairs and Business Development at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. Oliva has been principle at Oliva Global Communications since 2005. He was director of global corporate relations at Visa Inc. from 2000 to 2005 and was executive director at the Bay Area Council’s International Trade Alliance from 1995 to 2000. Oliva serves as chair of the Northern California District Export Council and is chief executive officer of the South Beach Yacht Club. He is a member of the CalChamber Council for International Trade and the Business Council on Climate Change. Oliva is a member of the University of the Pacific School of International Studies Advisory Board and a member of the America’s Cup Bay Area Yacht Club Alliance. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $105,000. Oliva is registered decline-to-state.
Frank Ramirez, 59, of Sacramento, has been appointed senior permit assistance specialist at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, where he has served as senior permit specialist since 2011. He was senior policy analyst at the California State Library California Research Bureau from 2004 to 2011 and was deputy director of planning at the Office of Planning and Research from 2000 to 2004. Ramirez was also a manager at the California Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency from 1997 to 2000. Ramirez earned a Master of Urban Planning degree from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $80,004. Ramirez is a Democrat
Louis Stewart, 41, of Elk Grove, has been appointed deputy director of innovation and entrepreneurship at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, where he has served in multiple positions since 2010, including deputy director of innovation and emerging technology. He held multiple positions at the California Department of Motor Vehicles from 2007 to 2010, including public affairs officer. Stewart was IT director at Californians for Schwarzenegger from 2006 to 2007 and was business director and marketing director at Freight Solution Providers from 2003 to 2005. He was telecommunications and facilities manager at Celestry Design Technologies Inc. from 2002 to 2003. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $95,940. Stewart is registered decline-to-state.
Barbara Vohryzek, 55, of Davis, has been appointed deputy director of small business at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. Vohryzek has been president and founder of Vohryzek and Company since 2009 and director and founder of Community Business Bank since 2005. She was executive director and founder of the California Statewide Certified Development Corporation from 1987 to 2009 and served in various positions at the California Trade and Commerce Agency, Office of Local Development from 1984 to 1991. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $105,000. Vohryzek is registered decline-to-state.