Gov. Kate Brown Names New State Chief Operating Officer

Willamette Week:

Gov. Kate Brown this afternoon announced her highest profile state agency hire to date, naming Oregon Department of Transportation deputy director Clyde Saiki to head the Department of Administrative Services and act as the state's chief operating officer. Brown, who took over from former Gov. John Kitzhaber on Feb. 18, picked a longtime state manager to replace former DAS director Michael Jordan, who resigned under pressure shortly after Brown took office. Jordan then went on to accept a job as Portland's director of the Bureau of Environmental Services. Saiki has served in a variety of roles at ODOT and the Oregon Department of Human Services for the past 28 years. Saiki will take over DAS from interim director George Naughton on Sept. 1. Naughton will return to his position as the agency's chief financial officer. “This is a critical position on my leadership team,” Brown said in a statement. “With nearly three decades of experience and a demonstrated commitment to professional excellence, I am confident Clyde will provide strong, stable leadership for the agencies that serve the people of Oregon."

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