That Ecology connection
One of Chris Gregoire’s first big breaks back in the ’80s was when then-Gov. Booth Gardner named her state Ecology Director. Despite her slim environmental credentials, she became a Cabinet star and the name-ID helped her win five statewide elections – three as attorney general and now two as governor. Her first chief of staff as governor was Tom Fitzsimmons – another former Ecology director like herself. When he retired, Gregoire picked Cindy Zehnder, the former TVW president and chief clerk…