
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, October 21, 1995                   TAG: 9510230005
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

ALLEN'S REGULATORY WATCHDOGS

JOE ELTON: Chief of Division of State Parks; was executive director of the state Republican Party in Virginia, then worked as an adviser on Oliver North's unsuccessful U.S. Senate campaign.

BECKY NORTON DUNLOP: Secretary of Natural Resources; formerly President Reagan's chief personnel adviser; later assistant secretary for fish and wildlife in the U.S. Department of Interior under James Watt, where she came under criticism for firing senior bureaucrats and ordering employees to report all contacts with members of Congress; founding director of National Wilderness Institute, which "recognizes the direct, positive relationship between progress and environmental quality''; friend and protege of conservative U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C.

MICHAEL HARRINGTON: Appointed to the Air Pollution Control Board, which passes rules and approves individual permits; president of Harrington Corp. in Lynchburg, a manufacturer of pipe fittings; former GOP chairman in Lynchburg; he and his family contributed $2,850 to Allen's 1993 campaign; says he's not sure why he was picked for board, but doesn't believe money was a factor: "I gave along with 10,000 other people. I'm sure you could find a lot of people who gave a lot more and weren't appointed to state boards. I wasn't seeking this board seat.''

PETER SCHMIDT: Director of Department of Environmental Quality; on temporary leave from position as part-owner and executive of Allied Concrete Co. in Charlottesville; Allen classmate at University of Virginia; contributed $1,500 to Allen-for-governor campaign; Allied Concrete donated $26,000.

L. CLIFFORD SCHROEDER: Appointed to Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance Board, which provides development and water quality information to government agencies; retired president of Richmond-based Dixie Container Corp.; served on Virginia Outdoors Foundation for 17 years; member of Virginia Yacht Club; contributed $31,700 to Allen in 1993.

CHARLES CUNNINGHAM: Appointed to Board of Game and Inland Fisheries, which administers game, wildlife and boating policies; political director for the Christian Coalition; former deputy director of the National Rifle Association; served on Virginia Wildlife Federation Board of Directors since 1988; served as James Madison University campus coordinator for Youth for Reagan in 1980.

H. KIRBY BURCH: Director of Department of Conservation and Recreation; former Powhatan County GOP chairman; organizer of Commonwealth Sportsmen's Alliance in 1993, which joined with the National Rifle Association to create a political-action committee that gave Allen $45,000; came under fire this spring for shooting two wild pigs (which he planned to use for a state-sponsored barbecue) with a .45-caliber gun during a tour of False Cape State Park.

FRANK COWLES: Appointed to new Motor Vehicle Dealer Board, which licenses and investigates complaints against car dealers; Northern Virginia car dealer and entrepreneur; graduated first in class at University of Virginia law school; longtime Allen supporter who gave $3,450 to his governor's campaign.

RICHARD SHARP: Appointed to Motor Vehicle Dealer Board; chief executive of Circuit City, a Richmond-based retail electronics giant; overseeing creation of Circuit City's CarMax, a chain of used-car superstores that one stock analyst predicts will have sales in the billions by 1999; personally gave Allen's 1993 campaign $10,000; Circuit City and its president gave Allen $47,500 for his campaign and inaugural.

- Staff

by CNB