Michelle Seagull, who had been serving as the state”™s acting commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection in the wake of Jonathan Harris”™ resignation last month, has had the “interim” removed from her title by Gov. Dannel Malloy.
Seagull has served as deputy commissioner of the agency since 2011. Previously, she was a partner at Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP, where her practice focused on issues related to unfair competition laws.
The new DCP commissioner noted several areas of progress that the agency has made during her time there. “We”™ve streamlined our licensing and complaint processes, made great strides to improve public health and safety, and educated Connecticut residents about the best ways to be safe in today”™s marketplace,” she said.
DCP licenses and registers more than 280,000 individuals and businesses in over 200 different categories. In addition, the agency enforces the state”™s consumer protection and product safety laws, mediates disputes between consumers and businesses, and regulates multiple industries, including the liquor, pharmaceutical, food, gaming and retail gasoline industries.
For his part, Harris is expected to be one of the numerous candidates to succeed Malloy as governor; the latter announced he would not seek a third term on April 13.
