Secretary of State Jan Brewer has announced she will appoint Prescott resident and former Arizona Senate President Ken Bennett as her replacement for secretary of state.

"In selecting my replacement, I look to Mr. Bennett's extensive and well-rounded career in both the public and private sectors," Brewer stated in a press release sent out Dec. 9. "He has served the state of Arizona on numerous levels with dedication and conviction, and Ken brings a great deal of wisdom and experience to this office."

Brewer said she believes the state's second-highest constitutional officer should play an active role in the governor's administration. 

Bennett began his political career in the 1980's serving as a member of the Prescott City Council.  He was appointed to the Arizona State Board of Education in 1992, serving as president in 1996 and 1998. In 1998 he was elected to the Arizona Senate, where he served as chairman of the Education Committee for two years and president of the Senate for four years, from 2003 until 2006.

"As a native Arizonan and long-time resident of Prescott, Mr. Bennett has a thorough knowledge of rural Arizona. This is just one more tremendous asset he will bring to the Secretary of State's Office," stated Brewer.

Bennett served as CEO of Bennett Oil Company, a family fuel distribution business from 1985 to 2006.  Since leaving the Senate in 2007 because of term limits, Bennett has been working with companies to develop alternative energy sources and energy efficient building technologies. He is currently chairman of Global Building Systems Inc. in Prescott.

In 2007, Bennett received the Polly Rosenbaum Award from the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records in recognition of his unfailing support of the State Library's mission to preserve Arizona's history and to provide access to information on the state. 

He graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in accounting. He and his wife, Jeanne, have three children, ages 25 to 21.