Gov. Gregoire names new agency heads at Social and Health Services, General Administration and Financial Institutions

For Immediate Release: March 8, 2005

Gov. Christine Gregoire today announced appointments for the departments of Social and Health Services, General Administration and Financial Institutions. The appointments are:

• Robin Arnold-Williams as secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS).


• Linda Villegas Bremer as director of the Department of General Administration (GA).


• Scott Jarvis as director of the Department of Financial Institutions (DFI).

Gregoire said Arnold-Williams brings vast experience to an agency that is tasked with a critical public mission of meeting the health, safety and self-sufficiency needs of the state�s most vulnerable children and adults. Arnold-Williams has been executive director of the Utah Department of Human Services since 1997 and has worked in the human-services field for nearly 25 years.

�Robin is a national leader in welfare reform and child welfare, and has substantial knowledge about serving seniors and the frail elderly,� Gregoire said. �She will be a great advocate for our state in Washington, D.C., at a time when federal policy in areas such as Medicaid and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families will be critically important to our state.�

The governor said she has asked Arnold-Williams to focus on children�s safety, access to affordable health care, and long-term care.

Said Arnold-Williams, �The staff of the Department of Social and Health Services provide critical services to Washington�s most needy and vulnerable residents, often under very stressful and difficult circumstances. I have the utmost respect for their dedication and professionalism and look forward to serving with them.�

Bremer comes to the Department of General Administration with many years of private-sector experience, both as an employee of information-technology companies and as owner of her own computer consulting company. Most recently, she was director of Information Technology Services at the Liquor Control Board.

Gregoire called Bremer a change agent who is committed to applying her private-sector experience to the business of government. The governor said she has asked Bremer to ensure that GA is responsive to the needs of its customers, to explore consolidation of services, and to find greater efficiencies and reduce costs. GA is the central support agency for state government, providing such services as contracting, public works management, leasing and building maintenance.

�Government simply must become as efficient and accountable as possible, particularly as we approach the time when some traditional government services can be contracted on a competitive basis, including bidders from the private sector,� Gregoire said.

Said Bremer, �Within state government, GA is in a position to work with agencies to get the most value out our tax dollars as possible.� She added on a personal note, �This is a dream come true for a little Mexican-American girl growing up in Texas with English as a second language. This opportunity to serve the citizens of Washington on Governor Gregoire's team is truly an honor and a career triumph.�

Scott Jarvis, the new DFI director, most recently has been deputy commissioner in the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. He has also served as legal counsel in the Office of the State Treasurer.

Gregoire said her charge to Jarvis and the department is to not only continue to provide consumer protection, but also to give the state�s financial institutions � whether banks, credit unions, savings and loans or securities dealers � a predictable and stable regulatory environment.

�While the department will aggressively go after those who prey on consumers, we need to restore a balance to the regulatory environment in Washington, deliver timely and efficient service to the industry, and promote economic development,� the governor said.

Gregoire said financial institutions need and deserve a stable, predictable regulatory framework in which to operate. �They are essential to ensuring that we have a good economic climate in the state,� she said. �We will work with the industries we regulate to reach the best results for consumers and our economy.�

Jarvis said, �I'm looking forward to working again with the many dedicated professionals at the Department of Financial Institutions. I'm confident we can work with our financial services provider communities, consumers and businesses to foster a regulatory environment that supports sound financial practices and encourages economic growth and competition, while protecting the consumers and businesses in our state from those few who seek to defraud or otherwise prey upon them.�