Treasurer taps Cape native for new post

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Cape Girardeau County native Chuck Miller will be sworn in as assistant state treasurer on Monday.

Miller has served as chief of staff to State Treasurer Nancy Farmer since the Democrat took office in January 2001. After ascending to the No. 2 spot in the treasurer's office, he will retain the duties of his current post.

Under state law, the assistant treasurer has the authority to exercise the powers of the office of state treasurer.

"It is an awesome, exciting responsibility and a really challenging time to be in the state treasurer's office given our current budget situation," Miller said.

The treasurer's office manages a $2.8 billion investment portfolio and oversees the $18.1 billion state budget.

Miller will replace current assistant treasurer B.K. Perkins, who is stepping down to take a job with U.S. Bank as a regional vice president for government banking.

Miller, 32, said Farmer selected him for promotion in part because she is forgoing a re-election bid for a second term as treasurer in order try to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Kit Bond. With no promise of job security beyond the end of Farmer's term in January, Miller said attempting to hire someone from outside of the treasurer's office could have proved difficult.

Farmer said Miller is an excellent choice to help lead the office and its 51 full-time employees.

"I have total confidence in his ability to run the day-to-day operations," Farmer said. "His years of service with the office, starting in 1996 as communications director, will provide a seamless transition for our employees, state agencies and the public."

Miller first joined the office under Farmer's predecessor as treasurer, Missouri Gov. Bob Holden. Miller served two separate stints as Holden's communications director prior to running Farmer's successful 2000 campaign for treasurer.

Miller's annual salary rate will be $85,000 for the combined role of assistant treasurer and chief of staff, up from his present pay of $74,208. Last year Miller also assumed the duties of the treasurer's communications director after that job was eliminated. Before those three jobs were consolidated, the posts carried combined salaries of $200,328 a year.

A 1990 graduate of Jackson High School, Miller earned a bachelor's degree in mass communications from Southeast Missouri State University in 1994.

Before going to work for the state, Miller was a reporter for the Southeast Missourian. His parents, Chuck and Janet Miller, live near Oriole.

mpowers@semissourian.com

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