Tennessee Governor-Elect Blackburn Names Finance Commissioner and Retains Tourism, Agriculture Chiefs
Tennessee Governor-Elect Marsha Blackburn announced her first cabinet and staff appointments, naming former Williamson County Commissioner Todd Kaestner as commissioner of Finance and Administration, while retaining Tourist Development Commissioner Mark Ezell and Agriculture Commissioner Andy Holt. Blackburn takes office in January 2027.
Kaestner currently serves on the Tennessee Board of Regents, with a term running to June 2028, and previously served as chief financial officer and executive vice president of corporate development at Brookdale Senior Living. Ezell was appointed tourism commissioner by Governor Bill Lee in 2019, and Holt became agriculture commissioner in 2025; both will continue in the new administration.
Blackburn also named Russell Thomas, executive director of the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission, as chief legal counsel, with Tabatha Blackwell becoming interim director of the commission, and Ben Blackmon as policy counsel. Ward Baker of Baker Group Strategies will lead the inauguration executive leadership team.
(Source: Office of the Governor-Elect of Tennessee)
Source: Office of the Governor-Elect of Tennessee
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：Tennessee State Capitol, Charlotte Avenue, Nashville, TN，作者 w_lemay，Wikimedia Commons，CC BY-SA 2.0；Photo: Tennessee State Capitol, Charlotte Avenue, Nashville, TN, by w_lemay, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
