MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers appointed James Bond to serve as secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs.
Bond is the first openly gay cabinet secretary in Wisconsin.
Bond previously served as the deputy secretary of DVA. His appointment fills the vacancy created by former Secretary Mary Kolar’s retirement.
Bond joined the DMVA in 2010 and worked as the administrator of the Divisions of Veterans Benefits and Veteran Services before being appointed to deputy secretary in 2019. Bond worked at the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development as a deputy division administrator in the Divisions of Employment and Training and Family Supports and as bureau director of management services in the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, according to a news release from the state.
Bond is a disabled veteran and served on active duty in the United States Marine Corps from 1983 to 1988.
According to Gov. Evers:
“James has been a dedicated leader at DVA for over a decade and has served the Department and Wisconsin veterans well as deputy secretary. “As a veteran himself, along with his decades of state service, I have no doubt he will bring a wealth of experience, knowledge, and expertise to this role as secretary. I look forward to continuing our work together to serve Wisconsin’s more than 300,000 veterans and ensure they receive the benefits, support, and resources they have earned through their service to be successful in their civilian lives.”
According to Bond:
“I’d like to thank Governor Evers for this incredible honor. I have built a career in service—service to my country, the state of Wisconsin, and to fellow veterans. As secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs, I will continue in this vein and work with veteran advocates across 72 counties and 11 Tribal Nations to deliver benefits and services veterans have earned, tell their stories, and honor their contributions. Together, we will forge a better future for all Wisconsin veterans and their families.”
