Andy Willis

New Perdue adviser homeward bound

markjohnson — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 06:59:56 -0400

Gov. Beverly Perdue's new communications and policy adviser says he wanted to come home.

Greensboro native and Appalachian State grad Pearse Edwards said he has enjoyed working for Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire -- both governors are Democrats -- but he wanted to move back to North Carolina.

“I'm not a big fan of winters in the northwest,” Edwards said Thursday.

He expects to play a role similar to what he has done for Gregoire, helping integrate the communications, policy and government relations functions of the governor's office.

“Policy is complex,” he said. “There’s a real need for the people to get a better understanding of what government is doing.”

Perdue already has a communications director, David Kochman; a senior adviser for government relations, Andy Willis, and a policy director, Al Delia. Their salaries are $115,200, $153,000 and $160,000 respectively.

Edwards, who will be paid $136,000, will not supervise those staffers. They will still report to Chief of Staff Zach Ambrose.

More after the jump.

Top Dems arrive at Obama event

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 11:01:08 -0500

A number of top state Democrats are at Camp Lejeune.

Gov. Beverly Perdue, Speaker Joe Hackney and Secretary of State Elaine Marshall just arrived for a speech on the military by President Obama.

Perdue's chief lobbyist, Andy Willis, and spokeswoman, Chrissy Pearson, came with the group. U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan and Rep. David Price came separately.

The speech will be held at the Goettge Memorial Field House, which Marines use to play basketball, but there's not going to be a chance for the hoops-loving president to take any shots today.

Several hundred Marines are in folding chairs on the court floor, awaiting the president.

Update: U.S. Reps. Mike McIntyre, Brad Miller and Larry Kissell; Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin; Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand; and state Reps. Russell Tucker, Grier Martin and Alice Underhill are also here.

Second Update: Defense Secretary Robert Gates, National Security Adviser James L. Jones, Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Adm. Mike Mullen, Lt. Gen. Dennis Hejlik of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force and senior Obama advisor David Axelrod were also at the event.

New lobbyist, old lobbyist

janestancill — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:49:18 -0500

UNC system President Erskine Bowles is clearly a big fan of Andy Willis, who served as the university system's chief lobbyist until last month, when he left to work for Gov. Beverly Purdue.

In introducing Willis' successor, Anita Watkins, Bowles today joked about Willis and his new role in state government - which Bowles hopes will benefit the university at a time when the state is making hard decisions about cuts for state agencies, reports Eric Ferreri.

"She replaces Andy Willis," Bowles said of Watkins, pausing for a moment. "I almost made a joke about Andy, but I can't because he's so important."

Bowles names Watkins UNC lobbyist

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:40:42 -0500

The UNC system has a new lobbyist.

Anita S. Watkins, legislative counsel for the N.C. League of Municipalities, will serve as vice president for government relations for the multi-campus UNC system, Eric Ferreri reports.

She replaces Andy Willis, who resigned earlier this month to become a senior adviser to Gov. Beverly Perdue.

UNC President Erskine Bowles announced her appointment today. It is effective Jan. 26.

Watkins will serve as the university's primary liaison to the state legislature, the governor's office and state government agencies. She will also work with Bowles, the UNC Board of Governors and senior staffers to develop policies and programs.

She holds a law degree and a master's degree in city and regional planning from UNC-Chapel Hill, as well as undergraduate degrees in political science and Spanish from N.C. State University.

After graduating from NCSU in 1994, she served for three years as a research assistant in the office of state Senate leader Marc Basnight. She later was senior policy analyst for the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources before going to the League of Municipalities.

Bowles: Call your former lobbyist

janestancill — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:58:31 -0500

Today was Andy Willis' last day working for the UNC system and its president, Erskine Bowles. Willis is leaving his post as the UNC system's chief lobbyist for a similar role working for Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue.

Bowles was effusive Friday in his praise for Willis, reports Eric Ferreri.

"When Andy walks in a room, it's like a big bundle of joy walks into the room," Bowles said at a meeting of the UNC system's Board of Governors. "He lifts your spirit, moves the process and gets the job done."

Bowles joked that Perdue stole Willis from UNC, but then again, he pointed out that he poached Willis from N.C. State back in 2006.

Bowles concluded with a suggestion for UNC board members, who yesterday sat through a presentation about cuts in higher education spending.

"Starting Monday, when he takes office, call him about the budget," Bowles said.

Most Read: Electoral aftermath edition

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:57:18 -0500

The aftermath of November's elections was in the news.

To the victors: Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue fleshed out her Cabinet. The vanquished: U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole gave a farewell speech. And a portent of the future.

1. Naming names: Perdue names Andy Willis and Courtney Crowder as her top lobbyist and legislative directors. Now, about the rest of the Cabinet...

2. Cell block? The Department of Correction said more than one inmate on the state's death row has been found with a cell phone. A new twist on 25 minutes to go.

3. Traffic report: A special transportation committee gave a final report, recommending toll booths on the interstate. North Carolina: The Delaware of the Southeast?

4. It polls for thee: Democratic firm Public Policy Polling puts out the first survey on a potential 2010 Senate matchup with Sen. Richard Burr. Does it ever end?

5. Fare thee well: In her final speech on the floor of the Senate, Dole quotes Teddy Roosevelt. The DSCC would have turned that into another attack ad on her age.

Willis: A numbers guy, not a lawyer

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:13:14 -0500

Andy Willis is a finance guy, not a lawyer.

That makes Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue's newly appointed legislative liaison something of an anomaly in recent gubernatorial history. At least since the administration of Gov. Jim Hunt, his predecessors have held law degrees.

But Willis, who has a master's of public administration from UNC-Chapel Hill and worked as a legislative budget analyst for years, said Perdue told him his experience was more in demand right now.

"She said, 'I think we need you to concentrate on fiscal policy, and that's one reason why I've gone after you,'" he told Dome.

With the state facing a recession-related drop in tax revenue, Willis said he expects he'll spend most of his time this year working on the state budget, just as he did as a lobbyist for the University of North Carolina system.

"It's not going to be pleasant," he said. "We're going to have to find the balance, and there will be (spending) reductions. ... We're all going to be working on it together."

What Willis has said in the past

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:57:32 -0500

Will any of Andy Willis' past lobbying efforts come back to haunt him?

Not likely. As a chief lobbyist for N.C. State and the University of North Carolina system, the newly appointed legislative liaison for Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue was not in charge of too many controversial things.

The only controversial issue he lobbied for was a national biodefense facility in Butner that some residents feared could spread deadly pathogens.

As a spokesman for UNC, Willis said that security concerns were valid, but the facility would be safe, noting that Triangle-area labs have handled hazardous material for decades.

"People are going to drop test tubes," he said in a Dec. 22, 2007, article in the N&O. He compared the facility to "a safe within a 6-inch cement box within a 6-inch cement box in a submarine down in the Atlantic Ocean."

That remark may grate among opponents of the proposed facility, though it's something of a moot point now that the federal government has recommended a Kansas site instead.

In other articles, Willis has been quoted being grateful for state higher education funding, explaining why the UNC system has so many vacant jobs and noting that UNC leaders did not ask for athletic scholarships in the state budget.

An offhand remark in a Jan. 21, 2007, N&O article did draw a complaint.

"I'm not sure business will change that much," Willis said of newly instituted ethics rules. "Even though the perception is that lobbyists wine and dine people, 99 percent of the business takes place at the legislature."

A Carrboro woman criticized the quote in a letter to the editor the next week.

Perdue appoints Willis, Crowder

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:11:50 -0500

Beverly Perdue named her legislative lobbyist and director today.

As expected since earlier this month, the governor-elect announced that she would appoint Andy Willis as her senior advisor for governmental affairs. She also named Courtney Crowder as legislative director.

Willis is currently vice president for government relations for the University of North Carolina system and a former fiscal analyst for the state Senate. He has a master's degree in public administration from UNC-Chapel Hill and a bachelor's in political science from N.C. State.

Crowder currently works as a lobbyist for Capstrat and previously worked at the N.C. Department of Insurance and for U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge. He has a master's degree from Duke University and a bachelor's degrees in English literature and French from N.C. Central University.

"Andy and Courtney will bring to our team a wealth of experience and proven ability to get things done," Perdue said in a statement. "They'll play key roles in making our vision to get North Carolina back on track a reality."

The latest word on Perdue's Cabinet

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:06:38 -0500

Names have risen and fallen like the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

But with no Cabinet-level appointments made yet by Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue, the guessing game on her administration continues.

(Perdue has named a transition team, a chief of staff and the head of a public campaign finance project, however.)

Here's the latest rundown:

Transportation: State Sen. Clark Jenkins chairs the Appropriations committee on transportation. Gene Conti is a former assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Lanny Wilson is vice chairman of the N.C. Turnpike Authority and has Senate leader Marc Basnight's backing. David Joyner is a transportation expert and head of the turnpike authority. Nina Szlosberg, a Board of Transportation member appointed to oversee environmental issues, has the support of transit advocates, women political leaders and environmentalists.

Correction: Crime Control Secretary Bryan Beatty is reportedly under consideration.

Crime Control: Scott Thomas is the district attorney for Carteret, Craven and Pamlico counties and served in the state Senate from 2000 to 2005.

Juvenile Justice: Linda Hayes has chaired the Governor's Crime Commission since 1995 and is a past chair of the national Coalition for Juvenile Justice.

Commerce: Senate Finance Committee chairman David Hoyle is well known as an advocate for business in the legislature. Rep. Jim Harrell helped pass incentives bills. Former deputy Tony Copeland now works in the private sector.

Revenue: Former state Sen. Oscar Harris served as Perdue's campaign treasurer.

Legislative Liaison: Former Senate budget analyst Andy Willis is vice president of government relations for the University of North Carolina system.

Health and Human Services: Perdue may conduct a national search for this post.

Environment and Natural Resources: Current secretary Bill Ross has served since 2001 and is reportedly interested in sticking around.

Administration: State Rep. Alma Adams filmed a TV ad for Perdue in the primary, but later criticized her transition team for its lack of diversity.

Cultural Resources: Adams, an art professor, may also be considered for this department.

Charlotte Office: Crandall Bowles is the former chair of Springs Industries and wife of UNC system president Erskine Bowles.