Acting commissioner appointed for Maine’s economic development department

Maine appoints economic development chief

AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine’s economic development department has a new acting commissioner to take the place of John Richardson, who’s resigned to seek the Democratic nomination for governor.

Thaxter Trafton was sworn in Monday by Gov. John Baldacci as acting commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development. The Augusta resident has been deputy commissioner since 2006 and joined the department in 2003.

Baldacci says Trafton has an extensive private sector background. He was chief administrative officer of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority, where he supervised operating agreements with the Oakland Athletics, the Oakland Raiders and Golden State Warriors. He was team president of the Cleveland Cavaliers from 1985 to 1989.