PILLEN SEEKS APPLICANTS TO FILL VACANCY LEFT BY RESIGNATION OF STATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, INTERIM DIRECTOR NAMED

LINCOLN- Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen set a deadline of May 2nd for applications to fill the vacancy left by the recent and abrupt resignation of former Director of Economic Development Tony Goins. Goins resigned in early April after an investigation uncovered instances in which he had used his state email to funnel business to a Lincolncigar lounge that he was a majority owner of. Goins also used the email to promote a campaign event at the bar, an action prohibited by Nebraska law. 

The Capital Cigar Lounge also received two pandemic recovery grants from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, the same agency Goins headed since being appointed by former Governor Pete Ricketts in 2019. Governor Pillen, in a Tuesday press release, set the deadline for applications for the position, which pays around $215,000 a year.

In the meantime, Gov. Pillen has appointed Joe Fox to the post. Fox previously served as the Department of Economic Development's director of business development. Fox will begin directing the agency until an applicant is approved.

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