By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD – Gov. Kelly Ayotte said Tuesday she is nominating four New Hampshire individuals to a number of top positions, including to the NH Supreme Court, chair of the PUC, BEA Commissioner and the state’s child advocate.
Ayotte said she will ask the state’s Executive Council to confirm the Honorable Daniel E. Will of Loudon as associate justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court, Christopher Ellms Jr. of Webster as chair of the Public Utilities Commission; Lucy C. Lange of Bedford as commissioner of the office of Business and Economic Affairs and attorney Diana E. Fenton of Mont Vernon as the state’s Child Advocate.
“I’m proud to nominate these exceptionally qualified individuals to serve our state. From upholding the rule of law, to protecting consumers, to advocating for our most vulnerable, to marketing the Granite State as a beacon of economic opportunity, I am confident they will help deliver an even brighter future for all of New Hampshire,” Ayotte said in a statement Tuesday morning.
Judge Will was made the state’s first State Solicitor General in 2018 and then was confirmed a few years later to be a judge on the state Superior Court. He will replace Justice Anna Barbara Hantz Marconi who is retiring in February.
Prior to those roles, he was a lawyer in Manchester practicing bankruptcy and creditor rights.
Ellms has been deputy commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Energy and prior to that was on former Governor Chris Sununu’s staff and election team.
Lange is president and general manager of Manchester Media Group. Fenton is an attorney at the Department of Justice.
The council will meet on Wednesday and is expected to hold public hearings on nominations prior to a confirmation vote. The positions are largely vacant and among some of the highest profile vacancies in state government. While there is a hiring freeze, these are leadership roles not impacted by the freeze.
Following his nomination, Judge Will said, “I am honored to be nominated to sit on our state’s highest court, and I thank Governor Ayotte for the opportunity to continue serving New Hampshire. Granite Staters expect fair, impartial decisions from their Supreme Court. If confirmed, I will strive each day to meet that expectation, uphold the rule of law, and help resolve disputes fairly and expeditiously.”
Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, State Rep. Robert J. Lynn, said: “I have known Dan Will professionally for many years. He appeared before the New Hampshire Supreme Court on a regular basis when I served on that Court. He is a truly outstanding lawyer and has served with distinction as a Justice of the Superior Court. He is committed to fairness and the rule of law, and he has a clear understanding of the constitutional limits of judicial authority.”
Before entering public service, he was a shareholder at Devine Millimet in Manchester, where he handled business and commercial litigation matters that included business disputes, intellectual property, and constitutional claims.
Of Diana Fenton, who currently serves as Chief of the Governance Unit at the New Hampshire Department of Education, Ayotte said: “Throughout her career in public service, Diana Fenton has held herself to the highest professional standards. Having worked at the Department of Education and as an Assistant Attorney General at the Department of Justice, Diana knows that protecting children is critical to the future of our state. Diana will be a steadfast voice for our most vulnerable and is highly qualified to lead the Office of the Child Advocate.”
During her time at the Department of Education, Fenton has focused on child safety and improving the vetting and credentialing process for new teachers. Fenton led the effort to create the Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics for New Hampshire Educators, which passed the Legislature in 2018. She also manages constituent concerns and oversees teacher misconduct investigations.
Of Lucy Lange, Ayotte said as the President of Manchester Media Group, Lange brings 20 years of private sector and marketing experience to the state.
Taylor Caswell, who served that role for eight years, has moved on to the private sector and James Key Wallace has been acting as interim commissioner.
Mayor Jay Ruais of Manchester said of Lange: “Lange has been a tremendous asset to the Queen City’s business community throughout her time at Manchester Media Group. She’s creative, community-focused, and deeply committed to showcasing the people, places, and organizations that make Manchester so special. Lucy is an excellent choice to lead the BEA and market New Hampshire as the best state for economic opportunity.”
Of Christopher J. Ellms Jr. of Webster, to serve as the Chair of the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission, Ayotte said he is currently Deputy Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Energy, a position in which he was unanimously confirmed by the Executive Council.
“Electric bills in New Hampshire are too high, and our Public Utilities Commission needs leadership that prioritizes lowering costs for families. I am proud to nominate Chris Ellms as our next PUC Chair to uphold that mission and protect ratepayers. I know he will serve New Hampshire with fairness and integrity.”
State Rep. Michael Vose, Chairman of the House Science, Technology and Energy Committee, added that “Chris Ellms is a steadfast advocate for commonsense, innovative energy solutions that lower costs for Granite Staters. He will be a champion for ratepayers, and I trust that he will put them at the forefront of every decision he makes. Chris has my full support to serve as our next PUC Chair.”