Helena Area News

Fox announces MT Department of Justice appointments

Posted: Dec 18, 2012 4:35 PM by MTN News

HELENA - Montana Attorney General-elect Tim Fox announced on Tuesday several appointments to his upcoming administration at the Department of Justice.

In a press release, Fox said, "With many years of distinguished public service in their backgrounds, these fine men and women bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Department of Justice. I am thrilled they are part of my executive team and I look forward to the many great things we'll accomplish together on behalf of all Montanans."

- Rick Ask will serve as the administrator of the Gambling Control Division. He has been with the agency since its inception in 1989. Before joining the Gambling Control Division, Rick held a variety of positions with the Montana Department of Revenue over the course of nine years.

- John Barnes will serve as the communications director. Barnes comes to the Attorney General's office from Seattle, where since 2007 he has been the communications director for a Washington public policy think tank.

- Joe Chapman will serve as the chief information officer and information technology administrator. He is the current administrator of the Information Technology Services Division at the Department of Justice, a position he has held since 2009. He is a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel, where he spent 20 years leading large information technology organizations and projects.

- Kenton Hickethier will serve as the chief of the Montana Highway Patrol. Hickethier has served with the MHP for more than 27 years, 17 of them in administrative capacities ranging from oversight responsibility for several districts, personnel management, policy implementation, budgetary oversight, and training. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, Northwestern University's Police Staff and Command College, and the DEA's Drug Commanders Academy. He retired as a chief master sergeant from the Air National Guard, where his 24 years in the security police field included overseas deployment to Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.

- Christi Jacobson will serve as the administrator of the Central Services Division. She has 12 years of state fiscal management experience. She is currently the administrator of Central Services at the Office of the State Auditor. Prior to that she served as a budget analyst in the Department of Justice, a financial manager for the Secretary of State, and as an executive budget analyst under Governors Martz and Schweitzer.

- Philip Kinsey will serve as the administrator of the Forensic Sciences Division. Kinsey has 15 years of experience in forensic DNA analysis. For the last seven years he has managed the DNA section of the Montana State Crime Laboratory. Prior to that he served at the Oregon State Policy Crime Laboratory and was a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Oregon.

- Brenda Nordlund will serve as the administrator of the Motor Vehicle Division. Nordlund has worked at the Department of Justice since 1993, beginning as assistant attorney general where her primary assignment was to provide legal support to the Motor Vehicle Division. Attorney General Steve Bullock appointed Brenda administrator of the Motor Vehicle Division in 2009.