Gov. Gregoire appoints Chris Liu as director of Office of Minority and Women�s Business Enterprises

For Immediate Release: May 30, 2012

OLYMPIA � Gov. Chris Gregoire today announced the appointment of Chris Liu as director of the Office of Minority and Women�s Business Enterprises. Liu is currently the director of retail services for the Washington State Liquor Control Board and replaces Cathy Canorro, who announced her resignation from OMWBE earlier this month.

�Chris� experience in customer care and executive oversight of complex agency operations has earned him my confidence in this new role,� Gregoire said. �His knowledge of customer needs will be a tremendous asset to OMWBE.�

�I am excited to take on this challenging new role and thank Governor Gregoire for this appointment,� Liu said. �OMWBE plays a vital role in the success and growth of disadvantaged business development in our state. I hope to bring new and innovative leadership to this agency.�

In 2005, Gregoire appointed Liu as the director of Washington�s Lottery, a position he held for five years. There he managed more than 144 employees and biennial revenues of more than $1 billion. Liu also served as a regional director for the North American State and Provincial Lotteries Western Region, representing interests of 12 western states and one province in Canada.

Liu earned a bachelor�s of science in business marketing from the University of Hawaii. His appointment is effective June 15, and he will earn an annual salary of $103, 200.