Home>Highlight>Benson picks LaRue, Shinkle Gardner to head transition team

Dan Benson at the 2023 Mercer County Democratic convention. (Photo: Joey Fox for the New Jersey Globe).

Benson picks LaRue, Shinkle Gardner to head transition team

Palmer, Sypek, Cimino, Rousseau, Maloney and Giblin will head Benson transition committees

By David Wildstein, December 04 2023 5:09 pm

Mercer County Executive-elect Dan Benson has named Jeannine Frisby LaRue and Sharon Shinkle Gardner as co-chairs of his transition team, with former Trenton Mayor Douglas Palmer as a senior advisor and former County Counsel Arthur Sypek as legal counsel.

“Strong leadership is at the heart of every successful administration,” said Benson.  “Jeannine LaRue, Sharon Gardner, Mayor Douglas Palmer, and Arthur Sypek have decades of experience in public service, and will be instrumental in completing a smooth transition.”

A legendary civil rights leader and Trenton resident, LaRue has held local elected office and was vice chair of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission.  She served as deputy chief of staff to Gov. Jon Corzine, headed government relations for the New Jersey Education Association, and held top executive positions at RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers University.   She worked on transition teams for Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, and Corzine.

Shinkle Gardner has been Benson’s chief of staff for twelve years.  She’s a former assistant state transportation commissioner and a former Hamilton Township Democratic municipal chair.  She worked on Hamilton Mayor Jeff Martin’s transition committee.

Palmer spent 20 years as mayor of Trenton and is a former Mercer County freeholder.   Sypek, whose late father served as the first Mercer County Executive, was county counsel from 2004 to 2018.

Benson announced the formation of seventeen transition panels to help shape his agenda as he prepares to replace five-term incumbent Brian Hughes next month.

Former Assemblyman Anthony “Skip” Cimino will head the Administration and Office of the County Executive Team, former State Treasurer David Rousseau will lead the Finance team, Mercer County Central Labor Council President Michael Maloney will chair the Improvement Authority and Airport Committee, and Noreen Giblin, a former top aide to Gov. Phil Murphy, will be in charge of the Office of Executive and Boards Committee.

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