Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted announced on Tuesday that he named Aaron Crooks, former director of Legislative Affairs for Governor Mike DeWine, to serve as his new chief of staff.
Crooks, of Upper Arlington, has served as DeWine’s director of legislative affairs since 2021. As director of legislative affairs, he oversaw the development and promotion of the administration’s legislative agenda with the General Assembly and other stakeholders in that capacity. He worked for CareSource, OhioHealth, and the Office of Health Transformation before joining the DeWine-Husted administration. In 2002, he took a position with the Ohio Senate.
According to Husted, Crooks brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his new role as chief of staff.
“Aaron brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from both the public and private sectors to his new role, and I look forward to all that we will collectively accomplish as a team over the next few years as we remain focused on our innovation, workforce, and economic development agenda,” Husted said.
The Ohio Star contacted Crooks for comment but did not receive a reply before press time.
Crooks will take the position formerly held by long-time Husted employee Joshua Eck who left to pursue a new opportunity outside of state government.
Eck initially joined the team in the Ohio Secretary of State‘s Office as press secretary under then-Secretary Husted. After DeWine-Husted for Ohio won the 2018 primary election, he served in that capacity for them again for the DeWine-Husted Gubernatorial Transition Committee. He later joined the Husted for Ohio team as a spokesperson. Before being appointed chief of staff on November 6, 2020, he worked as the lt. governor’s communications director for almost two years.
Eck graduated from Malone University and previously held positions in the Ohio House and Ohio Senate.
According to Husted, Eck has been integral to the success of the Lieutenant Governor’s office.
“Josh has been an important part of our successes at the offices of Secretary of State and Lieutenant Governor. He has the winning combination of being talented and hard-working, and I have been blessed to have him as part of the team,” Husted said.
The Ohio Star reached out to Eck for comment but did not receive a reply before press time.
The chief of staff role is in charge of the teams at the Common Sense Initiative (CSI), InnovateOhio, and the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, three offices of the governor headed by Husted. It also supervises the direct staff members in the Husted’s office.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star, The Star News Network, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Jon Husted” by Jon Husted. Background Photo “Ohio Statehouse” by Ɱ. CC BY-SA 4.0.
