Scott Bowen named director of Michigan

Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently appointed M. Scott Bowen as Director of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR).  

Bowen served as the Commissioner of the Michigan Lottery from January 2008 to February 2017, the longest serving lottery director in state history.

He previously served as Director of Office of the State Employer; and served two terms on the Grand Rapids City Commission.  

Before his governmental service, Bowen served as judge of the 62-A District Court in Wyoming, Mich., after being appointed by Governor Jennifer Granholm in 2003.  His appointment came while he was a partner at McInerney & Bowen, having previously founded the firm of Bowen, Distel & Haynes P.L.C.  Bowen has also served as city attorney for multiple West Michigan cities and worked as special assistant attorney general for the Michigan Department of Transportation, where he specialized in condemnation work.   

Most recently, Bowen served as senior vice president of Business Development for NeoPollard Interactive, LLC, a Michigan-based technology company.  

He holds a Bachelor of Art in history from Michigan State University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Detroit. He has been an active member of the State Bar of Michigan for more than 30 years.  

Shannon Lott has been serving as the acting director of DNR following the resignation of Dan Eichinger earlier this year. She will continue to serve in a leadership role at DNR.