Reynolds names former DOT Director Paul Trombino to staff

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has hired former Iowa Department of Transportation director Paul Trombino III as her chief operations officer to provide leadership of state government agencies.

Trombino was Iowa DOT director for Reynolds’ predecessor Terry Branstad from 2011 to 2016 and briefly considered serving as President Donald Trump’s nominee to run the Federal Highway Administration in 2017 before withdrawing his name two months after he was nominated citing family reasons.

Reynolds said Thursday that Pat Garrett is her new communications director after serving a similar role in the campaign and former campaign field director Nick Boeyink is the governor’s director of boards and commissions.

Nate Ristow, a former staffer for former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, is Reynolds’ policy adviser on public safety issues. Katherine Shaheen is executive assistant to Reynolds.

Reynolds earlier named campaign consultant Sara Craig Gongol her new chief of staff. Kassidy Krause will serve as Gongol’s assistant.