Pedone’s departure from the Legislature will leave a void in Speaker Robert A. DeLeo’s leadership team. As chairman of the Bills in Third Reading Committee, Pedone was able to exert influence over bills as they passed through the House.
Pedone could not be reached for comment during the day yesterday, but the council announced that it had selected Pedone after a nationwide search that began in September and culminated earlier this week with the review of applications and candidate interviews.
“I am proud to have this new opportunity to serve the people of Massachusetts,’’ Pedone said in a statement. “The Massachusetts State University system is critical to providing excellent education at a reasonable cost to students and families in our state. I look forward to working with the nine state university presidents to advance the educational excellence of the system and continue to ensure access for students and families.’’
Pedone will serve as a lead policy advocate for the state’s public university system. The council said it was looking for someone who could advocate for the system in government, media, business, and industry with “extensive knowledge of policy to assist the system with its legislative agenda.’’
Under new ethics laws, Pedone cannot lobby his colleagues for one year after taking the job.
DeLeo extended his “heartiest congratulations’’ to Pedone on his appointment. “He has served his district in good times and bad, tragedy and triumph, and I thank him for his outstanding service to the House,’’ DeLeo said in a statement.
Pedone is a graduate of Salem State University’s School of Social Work. Before being elected to the Legislature in 1992 to represent the 15th Worcester District, he worked as a social worker for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
The council credited Pedone with helping to secure $90 million in funding from the state for the new UMass Medical School research facility, as well as for being a key supporter of legislation renaming the state’s nine state colleges as universities.
“We are very pleased that Representative Pedone will be joining the state university system,’’ said Patricia Maguire Meservey, chairwoman of the Council of Presidents and president of Salem State University. “His experience, leadership and understanding of the educational needs of Massachusetts students and families will be of great value to our organization.’’
Pedone will succeed Frederick Clark, who left in November.
