Gregoire appoints Fred Olson as deputy chief of staff

For Immediate Release: August 15, 2011

OLYMPIA � Governor Chris Gregoire today announced she has appointed Fred Olson as her deputy chief of staff.

�There are few people I trust as much as Fred,� Gregoire said. �He returns to the office not only with an extensive knowledge of state government, but as a true confidante that has our state�s best interest in mind. I welcome him back to this position, and thank him for his continued service.�

Gregoire first appointed Olson as deputy chief of staff when she took office in 2005. He retired in December, 2006 after a lengthy career of state service � which included time as director of administration for the Attorney General�s Office and deputy director of the Department of Ecology. Prior to joining state government, Olson was a reporter and the managing editor of The Olympian.

As Deputy Chief of Staff, Olson will be responsible for the supervision of the small agency cabinet and manage the administrative functions of the Governor�s Office. Olson will also play a key role in implementing the governor�s legislation to consolidate agencies, ensuring the success of the new Department of Enterprise Services and Consolidated Technology Services.
�For her final 16 months in office Governor Gregoire has set an aggressive agenda to streamline state government, as well as create jobs, improve education and reform health care in Washington,� Olson said. �I look forward to working with her to complete that work.�
Olson replaces Jill Satran, who last month announced she was leaving the Governor�s Office to become the deputy director of the newly created Office of the Chief Information Officer.

�Jill will certainly be missed in our office,� Gregoire said. �She showed a tremendous amount of leadership during one of the toughest legislative sessions in state history. I�m pleased her knowledge and skill will play a critical role in operating the Office of the Chief Information Officer.�

Olson will start September 1.