SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments:
Cheryl Akin, 38, of Cameron Park, has been appointed deputy director of the California Competes Tax Credit Program at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. Akin has been tax counsel in the multistate and general tax bureaus of the legal division at the California Franchise Tax Board since 2013, where she has served in several positions since 2005, including program specialist and associate tax auditor in the protest section and tax auditor in the c-corporation audit section. She was a staff auditor at Ernst and Young LLP from 2003 to 2005. Akin is a member of the California State Bar Taxation Section’s State and Local Tax Committee. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Lincoln Law School. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $120,648. Akin is a Democrat.
Linda Mae Balakian Hunsucker, 68, of Clovis, has been reappointed to the 21st District Agricultural Association, Big Fresno Fair Board of Directors, where she has served since 2014. Hunsucker is a member of Democratic Women in Action, Coalition of Labor Union Women, Fresno County Democratic Women’s Club and the UFCW Women’s Network. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Hunsucker is a Democrat.
Beverly Kathlyn Mead, 59, of Escondido, has been reappointed to the 22nd District Agricultural Association, San Diego County Fair Board of Directors, where she has served since 2014. Mead has been president and chief executive officer at the San Diego Foundation since 2014. She was executive vice president at the California Endowment from 2007 to 2014, president and chief executive officer at the Council of Community Clinics from 2006 to 2007 and vice president at Blue Shield of California from 2005 to 2006. Mead was president and chief executive officer at Sharp Health Plan from 1996 to 2005 and vice president at Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego from 1994 to 1996. She is a member of the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science Board of Trustees. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Mead is a Democrat.
David Watson, 60, of Chula Vista, has been reappointed to the 22nd District Agricultural Association, San Diego County Fair Board of Directors, where he has served since 2011. Watson has been a partner and attorney at Duane Morris since 2010. Watson was a partner at Hecht Solberg Robinson Goldberg and Bagley from 2008 to 2010 and from 2002 to 2006. He was vice president of Yokohl Ranch Company LLC from 2006 to 2008 and an attorney at Gray Cary Ware and Freidenrich from 1988 to 2002. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Watson is a Democrat.
Craig Cannon, 57, of Martinez, has been reappointed to the 23rd District Agricultural Association, Contra Costa County Fair Board of Directors, where he has served since 2012. Cannon has been owner at Craig Cannon Video Newsreel since 1983. He was a grocery store manager at the Yosemite Park and Curry Company from 1988 to 1991 and a television cameraman at KTVN from 1984 to 1985. He is a member of the Loyal Order of Moose, Knights of Columbus Council and the American Radio Relay League. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Cannon is registered without party preference.
Robert Hoffner, 73, of Brentwood, has been reappointed to the 23rd District Agricultural Association, Contra Costa County Fair Board of Directors, where he has served since 2016. Hoffner has been a farm owner since 1966. He is a member of the Italian Catholic Federation. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Hoffner is a Republican.
William Mattos, 65, of Newman, has been reappointed to the 38th District Agricultural Association, Stanislaus County Fair Board of Directors, where he has served since 1995. Mattos has been president and chief executive officer at the California Poultry Federation since 1991. He was president of Mattos Newspapers Inc. from 1976 to 2006. Mattos served as District Five supervisor at the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors from 1990 to 1991. He was an editor and manager at Agribusiness News and Agribusiness Fieldman from 1975 to 1976. Mattos is chairman of the California State University, Stanislaus Agriculture Advisory Committee. He earned a Master of Science degree in agricultural journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Mattos is a Republican.
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