NOMINEE REQUIRING SENATE
CONFIRMATION
AGENCY DIRECTOR BACKGROUND SUMMARY
NOMINEE: Mark Brnovich
POSITION: Director of the
Department of Gaming
APPOINTING GOVERNOR: Janice K. Brewer
DATE OF APPOINTMENT: March 31st, 2009
TERM ENDS: At the pleasure of the Governor
POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE
DIRECTOR:
The Department of Gaming
regulates Indian gaming activities as authorized by the tribal-state gaming
compacts. The agency is funded by the Arizona Benefits Fund, which receives a
portion of tribal gaming revenues to pay for regulation of tribal gaming and
prevention of problem gambling. The agency is also responsible for certifying
casino employees and vendors working with casinos. The department receives
monies from the Tribal State Compact Fund through casino employee and vendor
certification application fees.
Statute permits the director of the department to issue
subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses and the production of books, records
and documents necessary for the enforcement of the powers of the department and
the tribal-state compacts. Statute also permits the director of the department
to establish a deputy director of the department. In addition, statute permits
the director to enter into a contract or agreement with any public agency for
any joint and cooperative action.
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE OR
OTHER STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS:
Statute
prohibits any employee of the department from having a financial interest in a
gambling operation or in a gambling industry in this state during their term of
employment or appointment. Statute also provides that the director may be
dismissed if any relative, to the first degree of relation, is employed by, or
has a financial interest in, the gambling industry in this state.
SALARY:
$136,000
AGENCY BUDGET AND FTEs:
Appropriated FY 2008-2009
Budget (funded entirely by the gaming industry): $16.56 Million
FTEs: 123
NOMINEE’S QUALIFICATIONS:
Education:
Juris Doctorate, University of San Diego School of Law—May 1991
Bachelor of Science, cum laude,
Political Science, Arizona State University—May 1988
Judge Advocate Officer Basic
Course, The Judge Advocate General School, United States Army—1997.
Judge Advocate Officer Advanced
Course, The Judge Advocate General School, United States Army—2003.
Employment:
United States Attorney’s Office,
District of Arizona—Assistant U.S. Attorney—2007-2009.
Corrections Corporation of America—Senior Director of State Customer Relations—2005-2007.
Maricopa County Superior
Court—Judge Pro Tem—2004-present
Goldwater Institute—Director of
Center for Constitutional Government—2003-2005.
Arizona Attorney
General—Assistant Attorney General—1998-2003.
Maricopa County Attorney’s
Office—Deputy County Attorney—1992-1998.
United States Army National
Guard—Command Staff Judge Advocate—1997-2004.
Honorable Johathan H.
Schwartz—Law Clerk/Bailiff—1992.
San Diego County District
Attorney—Certified Law Clerk—1991.
University of San Diego—Research Assistant for Professor Bernard Siegan—1990-1991.
U.S. Senator John
McCain—Congressional Intern—1984.
Other Qualifications:
Admitted to practice in Arizona, California, U.S. Federal District Court for Arizona, and United States Supreme
Court
Certified to practice law by the
State Bar of Arizona 1992-present
Former member of Latino Peace
Officers Association
Former member of Camelback
Kiwanis Club from 2003-2006
Current member of the Federalist
Society, Arizona Lawyers Chapter, Executive committee
Fluent in Serbo-Croatian
Commerce
and Economic Development Committee
May
18, 2009