State Senator Al White lost his long-standing seat on the Joint Budget Committee after upsetting fellow conservatives with his differing views on social and financial issues. Now, the former ski shop owner and moderate Republican from Hayden will head up the Colorado Tourism Office. Governor-elect John Hickenlooper crossed party lines to make the appointment of White, who has long defended tourism initiatives, saying they have a positive effect on the state's economy, writes The Denver Post. "After fighting for Colorado's tourism industry for over a decade in the General Assembly, I am excited to begin this new endeavor," White says (via the Vail Daily).

Among others, White joins former state Representative Christine Scanlan, who will become Hickenlooper's lobbyist, in the governor's cabinet. Hick also recently appointed Joan Henneberry as his "healthcare exchange planning grant project director," notes State Bill News. Henneberry is currently executive director of the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing and is responsible for managing public health-insurance programs, such as Medicaid.