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Leinenkugel’s famous name buys him instant credibility in business circles. His family has run Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. in Chippewa Falls for more than a century, building their product into one of Wisconsin’s most popular beers. He currently serves as vice president of sales and marketing. His brother, Jake, is the president of the company.
“Now, most times, if I were to introduce a new cabinet secretary with a name like Leinenkugel, you’d all be asking me how to spell the name, but you don’t have to do that with this name here in Wisconsin,” Doyle said at news conference to announce the appointment. “Dick Leinenkugel comes from a family that has for generations run the kind of business we must have here in Wisconsin to grow our economy.”
Richard Leinenkugel, 50, will leave his job to join Doyle’s cabinet on Sept. 29. He’ll make $121,000 a year.
“This is a bittersweet day for me,” Leinenkugel said. “It really is an opportunity for me to give back to the state that has so richly blessed our family and me personally.”
The Commerce Department runs the state’s economic development programs, offers businesses consultation on expansion and works to attract new businesses to the state.
Richard Leinenkugel replaces former Secretary Jack Fischer, who quit in July amid media reports that he and a top aide billed taxpayers more than $21,000 for three international trips in less than three months in spring. He also billed taxpayers more than $500 to take limousines while he attended meetings in the Twin Cities.
Richard Leinenkugel promised to limit his travel expenses, saying he’s learned money spent on the road could go toward entertaining clients.
“You spend very frugally out on the road,” he said. “I’ll be frugal but be a person who will do what’s best for the state.”
Doyle said he expects the commerce secretary to travel nationally and internationally, even if it isn’t cheap.
“You’ve got to go out and sell Wisconsin,” Doyle said. “When you go to Europe, it’s pretty expensive these days. It’s not like going to Poynette.”
Richard Leinenkugel faces a sputtering economy and state unemployment rates around 4 percent.
One of the first challenges he’ll have to deal with will be trying to persuade General Motors Corp. to keep its Janesville plant open. The automaker plans to close the plant by 2010 because high gas prices have curtailed sales of SUVs, leaving hundreds of people without jobs.
Richard Leinenkugel said he’s proud of local efforts to keep the plant open. Doyle then jumped in, saying GM should retool the plant to build cars consumers want to buy and his administration is working on a proposal for the automaker to save the plant. He did not elaborate.
Business leaders across the state praised Richard Leinenkugel’s selection.
“Somebody coming out of a manufacturing background, a big Wisconsin name. That’s a fantastic appointment,” said Jim Pugh, spokesman for Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the state’s largest business group
Jake Leinenkugel said in a telephone interview he was a bit sad to see his brother go, but his loss will be the state’s gain.
“It’s going to be a huge benefit just to have a Leinenkugel to work with so many businesses and companies,” he said. “I would certainly hope that name means something.”
