Alumni News Alum John Hicks Appointed Gov. Beshear’s Executive Cabinet Secretary

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has appointed Martin School graduate John Hicks as Executive Cabinet Secretary, succeeding J. Michael Brown, who is retiring from state government. Hicks, who earned his Master of Public Administration degree from the Martin School in 1984, will continue serving as State Budget Director.

Hicks, who earned his undergraduate degree from Murray State University, served as Kentucky’s Deputy State Budget Director from 2005-2016. He left state government in 2016 to become executive director of the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO).  He returned to Kentucky in 2019 when Beshear named him State Budget Director.

Hicks received the Martin School’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2015.