Bill Hagerty, commissioner of economic and community development for TennesseeNASHVILLE — Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty is taking a temporary leave of absence to volunteer for Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney’s “readiness team.”
Claude Ramsey, deputy to Gov. Bill Haslam, will assume oversight of the department during Hagerty’s leave of absence, the governor said.
Hagerty, a longtime Romney supporter who worked with the candidate at Bain Capital, will take unpaid leave beginning Monday through Nov. 6.
“Bill’s background makes him a logical choice to serve in this role,” said Haslam, a Republican. “He will do a great job.”
The presidential readiness team is led by former Gov. Mike Leavitt of Utah. Hagerty served in a similar role for the 2008 presidential campaign of Republican John McCain.