On the eve of the First Round of the NCAA Tournament, a former aide of ex-Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker verbally accepted an offer Wednesday to become the next executive director of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

Dean Serpa verbally accepted the offer, an MGC spokesman told Sports Handle, two days after he interviewed before a four-person panel of commissioners. Serpa, who entered the public sector in the 1990s under then-governor William Weld, is the former deputy chief of staff for operations and administration for Baker.

The news came amid outgoing MGC Chair Cathy Judd-Stein’s impending departure. A longtime state government attorney, Judd-Stein is retiring Thursday upon the completion of her five-year term.

Following an exhaustive search process, the commissioners voted 4-0 to appoint Serpa as executive director. Judd-Stein recused herself from the process.

“I want to thank the commissioners for entrusting me with this important role, and I look forward to joining the committed team at the Massachusetts Gaming Commission,” Serpa said in a statement.

Serpa began his state government career under Weld in 1991, where he served in numerous roles, most notably as deputy chief secretary to the governor. After spending several years in the Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development, he worked on the gubernatorial campaign of Mitt Romney in 2002. Beginning in 2015, Serpa worked in Baker’s office, where he served as a deputy chief of staff for the final five years of the governor’s tenure.

Before leaving office last January, Baker appointed Serpa as chair of the state’s Gaming Policy Advisory Committee (GPAC), a group that makes non-binding recommendations to the Gaming Commission. Serpa was one of two finalists to interview for the position at an MGC public hearing on Monday. In total, the MGC received 74 applicants for the position before truncating the field to the two finalists.

“I am passionate about moving projects from inception to competition and working with teams to get things done — I am excited to build on my experience with GPAC as I get started as executive director of the Commission,” Serpa said. 

The MGC also interviewed Clinton Dick, general counsel at the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation. MGC Commissioner Jordan Maynard noted during the hearing that he planned to file a disclosure for cautionary purposes because he previously worked with both finalists.

Judd-Stein, who served under five successive Massachusetts gubernatorial administrations, worked under Baker as deputy general counsel of the office. The office of Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey issued a statement last month when Judd-Stein announced her retirement.

“Cathy Judd-Stein led the Massachusetts Gaming Commission through a critical time for the industry, from the COVID-19 pandemic to the launch of sports wagering. We are grateful for her many years of service to the people of Massachusetts and wish her the best in her retirement,” Healey said in a statement.

Judd-Stein also guided the MGC through a challenging period when the state developed a comprehensive set of regulations for governing the launch of mobile sports wagering. During Judd-Stein’s tenure, Massachusetts was widely viewed as one of the leaders nationwide in crafting robust standards for sports betting advertising.

“During my tenure at the Gaming Commission, I have been grateful for the partnership with my fellow Commissioners and the outstanding accomplishments of our dedicated team,” Judd-Stein said in a statement last month.

“Together, we have led the Commission through complex issues during transformative times, prioritizing integrity and the health and well-being of gaming employees and patrons, working always to advance the best interests of the Commonwealth,” she added.

On Tuesday, U.S. Congressman Paul Tonko (D – New York) released the outline of a proposed federal framework that would create minimum federal standards on advertising for sports wagering.

— Sports Handle (@sports_handle) March 19, 2024

A successor for Judd-Stein has yet to be announced. A spokesperson for Healey did not immediately respond to an inquiry from Sports Handle on Wednesday.

Last March, Baker succeeded outgoing NCAA President Mark Emmert upon his retirement. From a sports betting perspective, one of Baker’s main policy initiatives has centered around shielding athletes from harassment by disgruntled bettors. According to sources, Baker worked closely with Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on an initiative aimed at restricting gamblers from wagering on college player props. While Ohio and Maryland banned the props this year, Massachusetts already had legislation that made such bets illegal.

Next week, the NCAA will hold the East Regional of the Division I men’s basketball tournament in Boston. It is unclear if Baker will attend the event at TD Garden, the home of the NBA’s Boston Celtics.