Inslee hires headhunters to find leaders for state agencies
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Gov.-elect Jay Inslee has hired an Olympia head-hunting firm to find the best people to lead Washington's top agencies in his administration.
Inslee has told all Gov. Chris Gregoire's cabinet members that they will need to reapply for their jobs if they want to continue leading a state agency, The Olympian reported in Saturday's newspaper.
In the meantime, Karras Consulting is posting ads seeking people to lead the Department of Transportation, the Department of Social and Health Services, Employment Security, Labor and Industries and other top state jobs.
This reflects the reality that "you have the opportunity at the beginning of an administration to make sure you have the absolute best person" in every agency, Inslee spokesman Sterling Clifford said.
So far, a few incumbents - including Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond - are asking to stay on.
"Paula submitted her résumé to the Inslee team and is interested in staying on as Transportation secretary and continuing to improve the state's multimodal transportation system," DOT spokesman Steve Pierce said in an email. "Paula is committed to addressing the challenges of insufficient funding over the next 10 years to maintain and preserve existing transportation assets around the state."
Mike Armstrong, a Wenatchee Republican who worked for the Department of Transportation for 21 years and helped write the state's transportation budget as a state legislator, may also be interested in the top DOT job.
Armstrong lost his bid for re-election to the House in November. He has told Inslee he is interested in the job and said he probably would apply.
"There are some things that need to have some special attention paid to them," Armstrong said, citing concerns about the state ferry system and the planned replacements of the state Route 520 bridge over Lake Washington and the Columbia River Crossing on Interstate 5. "Having a fresh look and a new set of eyes might not be a bad idea."
Armstrong supervised bridge crews at Transportation, then served 12 years in the House, eventually becoming the top Republican on the Transportation Committee. He helped Democratic Chairwoman Judy Clibborn write the budget that includes the department's operations, and he said the bipartisan cooperation was unprecedented on that committee in recent years.
Some agency leaders have said they are leaving. Judy Schurke told Gregoire a few weeks ago she is leaving Labor and Industries, and DSHS Secretary Robin Arnold-Williams plans to go back to consulting and teaching at the University of Washington.
Another big void is being created at the Office of Financial Management where state budget director Stan Marshburn is retiring. His immediate predecessor, Marty Brown, left just a few months ago to direct the community college system.
Inslee has told all Gov. Chris Gregoire's cabinet members that they will need to reapply for their jobs if they want to continue leading a state agency, The Olympian reported in Saturday's newspaper.
In the meantime, Karras Consulting is posting ads seeking people to lead the Department of Transportation, the Department of Social and Health Services, Employment Security, Labor and Industries and other top state jobs.
This reflects the reality that "you have the opportunity at the beginning of an administration to make sure you have the absolute best person" in every agency, Inslee spokesman Sterling Clifford said.
So far, a few incumbents - including Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond - are asking to stay on.
"Paula submitted her résumé to the Inslee team and is interested in staying on as Transportation secretary and continuing to improve the state's multimodal transportation system," DOT spokesman Steve Pierce said in an email. "Paula is committed to addressing the challenges of insufficient funding over the next 10 years to maintain and preserve existing transportation assets around the state."
Mike Armstrong, a Wenatchee Republican who worked for the Department of Transportation for 21 years and helped write the state's transportation budget as a state legislator, may also be interested in the top DOT job.
Armstrong lost his bid for re-election to the House in November. He has told Inslee he is interested in the job and said he probably would apply.
"There are some things that need to have some special attention paid to them," Armstrong said, citing concerns about the state ferry system and the planned replacements of the state Route 520 bridge over Lake Washington and the Columbia River Crossing on Interstate 5. "Having a fresh look and a new set of eyes might not be a bad idea."
Armstrong supervised bridge crews at Transportation, then served 12 years in the House, eventually becoming the top Republican on the Transportation Committee. He helped Democratic Chairwoman Judy Clibborn write the budget that includes the department's operations, and he said the bipartisan cooperation was unprecedented on that committee in recent years.
Some agency leaders have said they are leaving. Judy Schurke told Gregoire a few weeks ago she is leaving Labor and Industries, and DSHS Secretary Robin Arnold-Williams plans to go back to consulting and teaching at the University of Washington.
Another big void is being created at the Office of Financial Management where state budget director Stan Marshburn is retiring. His immediate predecessor, Marty Brown, left just a few months ago to direct the community college system.
I don't understand all the negative comments. This is exactly what a newly hired CEO would do in the private sector. Jay ran on saying he was not an Olympia insider and this looks like he is proving that by not relying on insiders to fill key positions, but rather taking a very business-like approach and looking for the best candidates, here in Washington and around the nation.
 @EMDF9A I would agree!
Best way to tell if someone is a good leader? Judging by comments on here it has to do with hair style and physical appearances.
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Of course.
Wow, all I can think of as I read the comments on this story is... way to come together people, and support YOUR government. The majority of comments are disrespectful and rude, to the government and to each other. The election is over folks, the people have ellected a governor. Instead of being rude and disrespectful, why don't you try being supportive for a change? Do you really think your posts show any co-operation or intelligence?
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@deadcandance Thank you for proving my point.,..Â
At least that dim bulb Inslee isn't picking them himself. Only in Washington would voters have passed over a very qualified candidate for governor, with an actual plan to fund education and trim the budget, for a goof like Inslee.
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this is certainly will cost the taxpayers. who is providing the oversight for the headhunting firm? will wait to see what happens, but i suspect this is nothing more than money lining the pockets of those who voted for Inslee. wow, it sounds like he is already spending the money and he is not yet in office. troubling signs.
Save the Headhunter Fee for the head of DSHS and just do away with the whole Department
 @FunnyFooker If that was done are you willing to take in a single mom with a couple kids and provide for them, shelter, food, clothing, medical and education for the mom so she can get a job that pays enough to eventually support herself and her kids?
 @jcman  @FunnyFooker Seems to me the single mom should have planned for her vocational future BEFORE she decided to pump out the kids!
No. That is what the Obama Entitlements are for.
How long have you worked for DSHS?
 @FunnyFooker And who do you think administers those "entitlements"? A lot of the money is block grant from the Feds and when the economy takes even a small downturn the low pay workers lose their jobs and need help. You really need to look at what DSHS does rather than just make general ignorant comments about getting rid of any agency. Yes, most state agencies could probably do better and if anyone has an idea that could help them do better and they don't share that then they are just as much part of the problem.
Joe Arpaio for top job at DOC..thank you.
Nicer comb-over than Trump - but didn't comb overs go out in the 70's?
@sentryone yeah, the hair has to go. what exactly is he hiding? subconscious sigs of cover up.
For a State with no money to finish highway projects and charging the taxpayers money to drive on their own roads,
what is the budget for this - and where did that money come from?
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Love the big spender party. Â In the end we will all pay more and get less. Â Nice.
In one case, it's easy. Hire Mike Armstrong, fire Paula Hammond. Quickly! Paula has to go! He does have a great idea at starting over, maybe we, as a state will have a chance. I'm so glad Gregoire's gone.
OK, not anything out of the ordinary here- and the right way to do it, I'm sure. Just hope he's hands on when the important decisions are being made with a lot more of a sense of frugality than our last governor. Hey, I won't judge till we see what this guy does. He couldn't be worse than the last governor and I'm hopeful he'll be much, much better. Just watch the pocketbook, guy.
This goofy state is well known to elect the far left. I suspect this guy will set a new standard for how far the fringe left will go.  Hang on for the ride...
Not the state, just King and Snohomish counties. I have hopes for Pierce yet.
Good for him.....and?
I trust a headhunting firm to be more able to select the right person for the job(s) than just keeping it all in-house. Much harder to establish 'cronyism' when those most able to slip someone into the folds aren't part of the process. Might even end up cheaper too. Good first step imo, and one sorely needed. I really, REALLY hope Hammond is looking for a new job within a few weeks.
give the new gov. a chance, he is still thinking about how to best do his job, at least he's thinking. people slamming him before he takes office are not!
I saw the headline and was already to jump on it and say that he had better be working on the DOT leadership as his first priority. I'm glad to see the article brought that particular job up. WA DOT definitely has shown in the last couple of years that there are some major issues that need addressing--and right now. Neither Hammond or Armstrong would be on my short list--both of them have let things get way out of control in the agency. I'm glad that Inslee is starting out with a message that if you don't/can't do the job, you could very well be out of a job. Let's just hope that this head hunter can find capable people.
Kinda like the way President Obama fills positions highest bidder on the cronyism list wins the job..
this guy must be a democrat based on the comments
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funny how the republicans cannot come up with anything other than slinging poop at the other posters.
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nothing worthwhile in terms of meaningful posts
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 @sunnysandiego Sound familiar?
 @KittySmasher  @sunnysandiego actually you just proved my point
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amazing
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I'm troubled that he needs to hire a firm to hire people. How much will this cost us? Does this mean everytime he needs to make a decision will hire a consulting firm?
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I'm not loving this guy so far!
@snoopy84 I prefer this approach to stuffing the positions with cronyism friends who may or may not have the necessary skills.
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 @snoopy84 If this company comes up with the best and most qualified people to run the agencies, it will be well worth the money spent. Just think about it and how much money DOT has cost the state in the last couple of years, and how desperately they need someone to head the agency who can resolve the 520 bridge mess. If that can be fixed, if they can get a company to run the tolling without gouging the state, like I said, it will be well worth the money spent.
@chickysgirl @snoopy84...No kidding!
@snoopy84 What, did you expect him to have binders full of people to choose from?
 @bacon_pants  @snoopy84 Thankfully, he probably doesn't have binders full of women like Romney did. We really need a reset on the woman-centric state government model of the past eight years! Look at what it has wrought us!
 @bacon_pants  @snoopy84 Binders FULL OF WOMEN, no less! The Snoopster-Pooper has the tea bagger tangle of cognitive distortions, such that he has to wear adult diapers, although he has the mind of a dirty little dirty minded child!
 @Dirty Picasso  @bacon_pants  @snoopy84 lol
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that WAS funny.
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I have no problem with an Executive using "Headhunter" firms to find top talent. I question why he waited 7 weeks after the election to initiate this. Unless his people tried to find the talent themselves and what they found was lacking.
@Hagar....well, if YOU question it then there must be something oh so wrong!!!
 @ReallyRUSerious And what did I say to you to deserve this comment, anus?
How many public servents will have to loose their jobs to pay for these 'Headhunters'?
 @kittykat1912 gee, I hope that when this headhunter reads the resumes, they throw out the ones with 'loose' connections to getting the job done.
Now I know why my application for the position for Head Guard Dog at the Govenors dog house hasnt been found. I guess that nobody uses lab-retreiver mixes any more for guard dogs, they use them for sensible jobs like comforting children, survivors of killing sprees We dont "guard anything, we welcome", save some meat for me while getting your beer from the fridge. I like beer too, makes my coat shine inside and out.Â
guess Inslee will get rid of the Employment Security Department first as he has to hire a firm because his own departments aren't capable of doing the job.
ESD serves the general public only. Each division has their own HR and does their own hiring for their deparment.
I don't know if skeletor or the alcohol induced broken capilaries on insleeze's face are harder to look at.
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I have a hundred bucks that says this headhunter employer will indroduce higher taxes within 90 days of his administration. He's a career politician and therefore a lying scumbag.
 @komoispropaganda Well now since you seem to be the first to mention looks why don't you put an actual picture of yourself on your profile name.
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We are all dying to see just how beautiful you are on the outside. Â Hopefully more than you are on the inside.
 @komoispropaganda and forgot to mention that looks like Rosacia which though treatable is hard to completely get rid of.
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and I will come back and see your beautiful mug sometime soon?
 @jcman actually the dog would probably be offended by your comment
 @sunnysandiego That profile picture is a self portrait, it just happens to look like a dog.