Gov. Greitens picks Missouri labor department director

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Gov. Eric Greitens is tapping the Illinois Department of Labor director to head Missouri's labor agency.

The Republican on Thursday announced his pick of Anna Hui to oversee labor issues and workers' rights in Missouri. She served as assistant labor director in Illinois until Gov. Bruce Rauner in February picked her to lead the agency.

If confirmed by the Senate, Greitens said Hui would be Missouri's first Asian-American cabinet member.

From 2002 to 2009, Hui was an associate deputy secretary to former U.S. secretary of Labor Elaine Chao. She then served as Chao's chief of staff and worked as senior adviser and policy analyst at the conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation.

Former Department of Labor and Industrial Relations director Ryan McKenna left office in December. Tammy Cavender is acting director.