Leinenkugel resigns as Wis. Commerce secretary, says he’s pursuing ‘new opportunity’

Leinenkugel resigns as Wis. Commerce secretary

MADISON, Wis. — Former beer mogul Richard Leinenkugel announced Tuesday he was resigning as the state’s top economic development leader to pursue a new opportunity.

Leinenkugel, who would not comment in an interview on whether he intended to run for office, said he would make his intentions public in two to three weeks. He was resigning his state position as of Friday.

Although he served under Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle for the past 18 months, Leinenkugel said he is politically conservative. Still, he would not say if considers himself a Republican or a Democrat.

“I served in the military as a marine officer during Ronald Reagan’s presidency,” said Leinenkugel, 52. “I grew up as being heavily influenced by Ronald Reagan.”

If he runs for political office, no matter what party he aligns himself with, Leinenkugel will have to defend his record as the state’s chief economic development official even as the state lost thousands of jobs and unemployment more than doubled from around 4 percent to 8.7 percent.

Also during his tenure, General Motors closed its Janesville plant, leaving more than 1,000 blue-collar workers without jobs.

Leinenkugel defended his record, noting that he was part of a successful lobbying effort by the state to keep boat engine maker Mercury Marine and hundreds of jobs in Fond du Lac. Leinenkugel said Wisconsin was at the mercy of the national economic downturn.

“When I came on board in late September of 2008 we were entering what is arguably our nation’s most severe economic downturn in a generation, arguably since the Great Depression,” he said. “We certainly weren’t in control of our nation’s economy.”

The Commerce Department runs the state’s economic development programs, offers businesses consultation on expansion and works to attract new businesses to the state.

To take the job, Leinenkugel left his position as vice president for sales and marketing for Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., a subsidiary of MillerCoors. The Leinenkugel family has operated the brewery out of Chippewa Falls for more than a century.

Doyle thanked Richard Leinenkugel for his service, saying the department has worked hard to attract new businesses and create jobs. Doyle spokesman Adam Collins said the governor hoped to name a replacement soon.