Jim Evans New Head Of California Gambling Control Commission

Sunday June 14,2015 : FORMER JOURNALIST THE NEW CHIEF OF CALIFORNIA GAMBLING REGULATOR
 
Governor Jerry Brown appoints his former chief of communications.
 
For the second time this year, California governor Jerry Brown has had to address management changes at the California Gambling Control Commission, appointing his former chief of communications, Jim Evans, to replace recently resigned Richard Lopes.
 
Lopes was the second commission member to have prematurely resigned, leaving just two weeks after executive director Tina Littleton departed amid claims of conflicts of interest in the Casino M8trix profits skimming affair .
 
Evans' appointment to the $139,000 a year post was greeted with surprise in several quarters, where his lack of experience in gambling regulatory matters was noted and the complexity of the regulator's role in the state flagged.
 
Evans is a former journalist and corporate communications specialist who prior to his spell with the governor as communications head was spokesman for the California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency.