Joey Longley, who has served as executive director of the Sunset Advisory Commission for 14 years, is resigning at the end of the day tomorrow, Sept. 30, and will join the office of Blackridge, a Texas-based lobby firm.
Longley has worked in Texas politics for 30 years. As executive director, he was responsible for day-to-day operations of the staff, planning the course of agency reviews, producing reports, conducting public hearings, and interacting with the Commission and the Legislature.
Ken Levine, the Deputy Director, will take over as acting director when Longley leaves. Because there is currently no Chairman of the Sunset Advisory Commission, it is not yet clear exactly who will be the interim or long-haul executive director of Sunset. Levine told LSR that he has requested an interim executive director be appointed.
Said Longley:
This is really an exciting time for me as I am able to take what I’ve learned from the Legislature and the Commission as I move into a new venture. Once I decided to move forward in my career, Blackridge was a natural fit for me. It has the values and the approach that I was looking for and is well respected for its successful and reputable representation of its clients. Rusty Kelley has been one of my mentors for 30 years and I am grateful for the chance to join this practice. I am confident that the Sunset Commission will continue to perform at the highest level thanks to its talented long-term employees and I am encouraged by the strong support the Commission receives from Governor Dewhurst, Speaker Straus and Senator Hegar. Together they will ensure that Sunset is a strong and viable contributor to the legislative process.
Said Sen. Glenn Hegar (R-Katy):
The Texas Sunset Advisory Commission is nationally recognized as a model for reworking state agencies to achieve truly improved government efficiencies and effectiveness. This much deserved recognition is in large part due to the leadership, solid work ethic, bold decision making, and expertise provided by Joey Longley. I want to be the first to congratulate him on his new opportunity and most importantly, thank him for his friendship and lasting commitment to our beloved State of Texas. Joey's straight forward and honest leadership as director of the Sunset process, has truly made Texas a better place for hardworking Texas taxpayers, and I am confident that his legacy will continue as he moves on to newer challenges ahead.
Longley will lead a new, separate group within Blackridge that advises clients on the Sunset Process and the relevant legislation resulting from it.
Blackridge has an extensive client list including several firms that are on the Fortune 500 list, as well as an established practice in the energy; telecom; environment; education; tax; healthcare; and general business areas.