Richard K. "Rick" Sullivan, Jr. is an American politician who is the current Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the former Mayor of Westfield, Massachusetts

Westfield, Massachusetts

Westfield is a city in Hampden County, in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 41,094 at the 2010 census. The ZIP Code is 01085 for homes and businesses, 01086 for Westfield State...

.

Sullivan served as Mayor of Westfield from 1994 until 2007 when he was appointed commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Recreation

Department of Conservation and Recreation (Massachusetts)

The Department of Conservation and Recreation is a state agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, situated in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. It is best known for its parks and parkways. As of May 24, 2011 the Commissioner of the DCR is Edward M. Lambert, Jr...

. Under his leadership, the DCR completed several large-scale capital improvements, including a two-year, $21.3 million project at Mount Greylock State Reservation

Mount Greylock State Reservation

Mount Greylock State Reservation is a Massachusetts state park that was created in 1898 as Massachusetts' first public land for the purpose of forest preservation. It is located on its namesake Mount Greylock.-History:...

 and a $9 million renovation of the visitor center at Georges Island in Boston. In 2011 he succeeded the departing Ian Bowles

Ian Bowles

Ian A. Bowles is an American environmentalist, politician, and political aide who served as Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs from 2007 to 2011....

 as Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs. In this position, Sullivan is in charge of implementing Governor Deval Patrick

Deval Patrick

Deval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton...

's solar, wind, biofuel, and energy efficiency initiatives as well as overseeing land-preservation efforts and the implementation of environmental laws and regulations.

Sullivan is a graduate of Westfield High School

Westfield High School (Westfield, Massachusetts)

Westfield High School is a public high school located in Westfield, Massachusetts established in 1855. It serves as the public high school for students in grades 9 through 12, and has a student enrollment of 1,630.-References:...

 and holds degrees from Bates College

Bates College

Bates College is a highly selective, private liberal arts college located in Lewiston, Maine, in the United States. and was most recently ranked 21st in the nation in the 2011 US News Best Liberal Arts Colleges rankings. The college was founded in 1855 by abolitionists...

 and Western New England School of Law.