Governor Nominates Hanna as Next BPU President

Governor Chris Christie today announced his nomination of Madison’s Robert Hanna, currently the director of the Division of Law in the Department of Law and Public Safety, to succeed Lee Solomon as the next president of the Board of Public Utilities (BPU).

“President Solomon has been an indispensible member of my administration over the past twenty-two months, providing critical leadership and decision making as we’ve navigated through difficult times and events faced by our state. Under Lee’s leadership, we have made real progress for our state by expanding clean, renewable energy production like solar and offshore wind and putting forward a responsible, aggressive and achievable Energy Master Plan for New Jersey’s energy future,” said Governor Christie. “I thank Lee for his service to the people of New Jersey, and am pleased to announce my nomination of Bob Hanna, an extraordinarily qualified and talented individual, to succeed him as the next BPU president.”

Prior to his appointment by Governor Christie as Director of the Division of Law on Jan. 8, 2010, Hanna was a director in the law firm of Gibbons P.C. in Newark. He has served for 16 years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, including service in the Civil and Frauds divisions and service as Chief of the Securities and Health Care Fraud Unit and Criminal Health Care Fraud Coordinator. Many of those years were served under then-U.S. Attorney Christie.

Hanna is a graduate of Manhattan College and the Fordham University School of Law.

“It has been a tremendous honor to serve my state as a member of this Administration and achieve concrete steps to further Governor Christie’s agenda to maintain New Jersey’s national leadership in the use of renewable energy sources, now and in the future,” said BPU President Lee Solomon. “I am thankful for the opportunity and challenge of serving in this unique role, and for the prospect of continuing to serve the people of New Jersey by returning to the state judiciary.”

Governor Christie today filed a Notice of Intent to Nominate Solomon to a judgeship on the Superior Court of Camden County with the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“Lee has served the people of New Jersey in a tireless and accomplished manner. I am pleased that he will continue his strong record of public service by returning to the Superior Court bench in Camden County,” said Governor Christie.

Both Hanna’s nomination to the position of BPU president and Mr. Solomon’s nomination to the Superior Court are subject to Senate confirmation.