Cavanagh named lottery director
Mark J. Cavanagh, the state's deputy treasurer, yesterday was named director of the Massachusetts State Lottery, which sold $4.4 billion in tickets the last fiscal year and generated $951 million in revenue for cities and towns.
Cavanagh will replace Joseph C. Sullivan on Jan. 15, announced Treasurer Timothy P. Cahill, who oversees the lottery.
Sullivan has not announced his future plans, according to a spokeswoman for the treasurer's office.
As director, Cavanagh will run the day-to-day operations of the lottery, while Cahill and a five-member panel of appointed commissioners make policy decisions. Lottery revenues are distributed to the Commonwealth's 351 cities and towns based on population and with no strings attached.
"It's an exciting and challenging opportunity, and I look forward to building on the successes of Treasurer Cahill and Joe Sullivan," Cavanagh said.
He has served as Cahill's deputy since 2003, running the state's Abandoned Property Division, which collected $883 million over the past four years and paid out claims totaling about $158 million.
Cavanagh, who graduated from Bentley College and received his master's in business administration from Boston College, served in the same job during part of Robert Crane's tenure as treasurer.
Before joining Cahill's office, Cavanagh held executive positions at
Cahill said yesterday that he was grateful for Sullivan's work. Of Cavanagh, he said, "I have worked with Mark for four years and am pleased to promote him to this position."
Correction: Because of a reporting error, this story about Mark J. Cavanagh being named the new director of the Massachusetts State Lottery incorrectly reported where he earned a master's degree in business administration. The degree came from Babson College.
