News Releases
Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 8, 2003
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136
Alt Contact:  Kim Contris, Department of Labor and Industries, 360-902-5417

Gov. Gary Locke Appoints New Labor and Industries Director

OLYMPIA – Jan. 8, 2003 – Gov. Gary Locke today appointed Paul Trause as the new director of the Washington state Department of Labor and Industries (L&I). Trause most recently served as deputy commissioner of the state Employment Security Department.

Trause replaces L&I director Gary Moore, who will now serve as the state’s first director of Labor Relations within the Office of Financial Management.

“Paul is a proven leader and I am confident he will do a great job in his new position,” Locke said. “Paul has a wide range of experience that will help him serve the workers and businesses of Washington state.”

Trause, 54, will oversee the 2,700 employees at L&I. The agency delivers a diverse array of services to Washington’s 163,000 employers and 2 million workers, including ensuring workplace safety, providing workers’ compensation benefits and setting workers’ compensation rates.

“I am extremely honored to be selected by the governor to serve in this role,” Trause said. “I’m excited about the opportunity to address the many challenging issues at L&I, and I look forward to working with the people at L&I as well as the business and labor communities.”

Trause has also served as the management and budget director for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and as acting secretary and deputy secretary of the state Department of Social and Health Services.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University and his law degree from J.D. Cornell University Law School.

Trause starts his new job January 22. He will be paid $113,000 annually.


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