State Treasurer Steven Grossman appointed Enrique Zuniga to the nascent five-member Massachusetts Gaming Commission.
Zuniga, 45, now serves as the executive director of the Massachusetts Water Pollution Abatement Trust, where he oversees $450 million in financing for water and sewer projects throughout the state. He was also one of the founding leaders of the Massachusetts School Building Authority.
Gov. Deval Patrick last November signed a law authorizing up to three licenses for resort-style casinos, one for each of three regions. Patrick, Grossman, and Attorney General Martha Coakley each appoint one member of the panel, with Patrick appointing the chairman. The governor, treasurer, and attorney general will nominate the other two jointly.
“His substantial background in issues related to finance, securities, public procurement, auditing, and regulatory affairs will be invaluable as the commission moves forward,” Grossman said Monday.
“Enrique is a top-notch manager who acutely understands the world of finance and the innovative measures that make it operate in a more effective and accountable fashion,” said Katherine Craven, the executive director of the UMass Building Authority.
Craven and Zuniga worked together at the Massachusetts School Building Authority, where they oversaw a sweeping financial and management overhaul to the multibillion-dollar reimbursement and funding program for school construction projects. The agency has distributed $8.6 billion to local school projects throughout the state and has saved municipalities $3 billion in avoided local interest costs.
Zuniga has also served in management positions at accounting firm Ernst & Young LLP, the Boston Housing Authority, and design and engineering companies in Mexico.
He holds a master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in finance from the Yale School of Management, and a degree in civil engineering from Mexico’s Instituto Technologico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey.
