Richard K. "Rick" Sullivan, Jr. (born January 18, 1959) is an American politician who served as chief of staff to Governor Deval Patrick from 2014 to 2015. Before assuming the office, Sullivan was the former secretary of energy and environmental affairs of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and former mayor of

Westfield, Massachusetts Westfield is a city in Hampden County, in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, United States. Westfield was first settled by Europeans in 1660. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population w ...

. Sullivan served as Mayor of Westfield from 1994 until 2007 when he was appointed commissioner of the

Department of Conservation and Recreation The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is a state agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, situated in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. It is best known for its parks and parkways. The DCR's mission is ...

. Under his leadership, the DCR completed several large-scale capital improvements, including a two-year, $21.3 million project at Mount Greylock State Reservation and a $9 million renovation of the visitor center at Georges Island in Boston. In 2011 he succeeded the departing Ian Bowles as Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs. In this position, Sullivan was in charge of implementing Governor Deval Patrick's solar, wind, biofuel, and energy efficiency initiatives as well as overseeing land-preservation efforts and the implementation of environmental laws and regulations. On May 22, Governor Patrick appointed Sullivan as his chief of staff for the remainder of his administration. Sullivan is a graduate of

Westfield High School Westfield High School may refer to: * The Westfield School, Perry, Georgia * Westfield High School (Westfield, Indiana) * Westfield High School (Massachusetts), Westfield, Massachusetts * Westfield Technical Academy, Westfield, Massachusetts * West ...

and holds degrees from

Bates College Bates College () is a private liberal arts college in Lewiston, Maine. Anchored by the Historic Quad, the campus of Bates totals with a small urban campus which includes 33 Victorian Houses as some of the dormitories. It maintains of nature p ...

and Western New England School of Law.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sullivan, Rick 1959 births Bates College alumni Chiefs of staff to the governor of Massachusetts Living people Mayors of places in Massachusetts People from Westfield, Massachusetts State cabinet secretaries of Massachusetts Western New England University alumni