Meyer nominates previous New Castle County heads for state positions

Gov.-elect Matt Meyer has named two New Castle County officials for state posts, and is keeping two others in their state positions in his latest round of nominations.

Current Department of Correction Commissioner Terra Taylor will retain her position with the Meyer administration, along with Gregory Lane, who is chief information officer for the state.

Moving to state positions after working for New Castle County are Yvonne Anders Gordon, who has been nominated as secretary of the Department of Human Resources, and CJ Bell as director for the Delaware Division of Small Business.

Meyer said in a press release that Bell recently served as director of economic development for New Castle County, where he created transformative programs, including Building Better Communities, the county’s comprehensive approach to public safety for at-risk areas; the Commercial Corridor Program; and the Grow NCC Fund.

“CJ is a millennial economic leader who has a unique understanding of the issues facing Delaware entrepreneurs,” Meyer said. “He has been an effective advocate for small business owners across New Castle County, and I’m excited to have him as a champion for innovation at the state level.”  

Also coming from New Castle County is Anders Gordon, the immediate past acting general manager of the New Castle County Department of Public Works. She also served as a deputy secretary of the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security, where she worked to enhance the operating functions. 

“Yvonne is a model public servant whose dedication to improving the working lives of Delawareans has been the hallmark of her career,” Meyer said. “I’m excited to have Yvonne in my cabinet to help us build a more inclusive, efficient and transparent state government, and ensure the rights of all state employees are protected.”  

Lane has been the state’s chief information officer since June 2023, and Taylor joined DOC 27 years ago.

“Terra has dedicated her career to keeping Delawareans safe, and she understands how important it is to protect the rights of all residents,” Meyer said. “Our Department of Correction must correct, not just punish, and Terra is the right leader to decrease recidivism rates, increase access to mental health services and create new opportunities for some of our most vulnerable Delawareans.”

To learn more about Meyer and his transition team, go to https://transition.delaware.gov.