INSIDE What’s It Like at the Top? | H.B. 1516 Update | President’s Message

TheAdministrator

Texas State Agency Business Administrators’ Association • Volume 24, Number 2 • May 2006

Are you still issuing warrants? Do you suffer from a paper-based benefits system? If you are ready to let technology deliver the benefits or payments with greater ease of use and better security, then an electronic system may be just for you.

Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) was originally designed as an electronic system that allows a recipient to authorize the transfer of their government benefits from a Federal account to a retailer account to pay for products received. Now, EBT systems are being used to not only eliminate issuing checks but provide building access, store medical history, fight fraud and serve as a cash card.

Texas introduced EBT to the State’s business processes in 1994 when the Department of Human Services replaced food coupons and paper warrants with a debit card. It may be hard to believe now, but in 1994 grocery retailers across the nation took cash and checks as tender, not debit or credit cards. In fact, debit cards were not yet mainstream. Twelve years later, not only are debit and credit cards used at grocery stores throughout the state, you would be hard pressed to find a retailer that is not in the electronic transaction business. We seldom carry

cash anymore, relying on our credit or debit cards to do the buying for us.

A state interagency task force was established by H.B. 1863 in 1995 and expanded by S.B. 910 in 1997. The mission of the Interagency Task Force on EBT is to advise and assist state agencies in adding new benefit programs to the statewide EBT system. The taskforce has members from seven state agencies and representatives from

continued on page 2

EBT…It Could Be Just What You Need

The Nurse Will See You Now

The 79th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature brought a new opportunity to pilot a unique benefit for state employees with the adoption of H.B. 952. This bill added language to Government Code, Section 671.001 that calls for the Employees Retirement System (ERS) to develop and implement a pilot program to make available a licensed advanced practice nurse, supervised by a licensed physician, to provide authorized on-site health services at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).

The intent of this pilot program is to reduce the cost of providing state employee health care and increase the wellness and productivity of state employees. ERS is responsible for developing administrative rules to govern the program, tracking the pilot program, and reporting to the Legislature any identified cost savings.

Catherine South, MSN, RN, Certified Family Nurse Practitioner, began working at the Employee Health Center (an on-site “clothes on” facility) in the TCEQ complex about a month ago. Her client base includes approximately 2,300 employees headquartered at the facility and the 700 field staff, should they be at headquarters. Ms. South sees from two to thirteen patients per day and performs related administrative duties, working Monday through Friday. Her patients

continued on page 2

2 The Administrator | Volume 24, Number 2 | May 2006

EBT…It Could Be Just What You Need continued from page 1

the retailer industry, financial institutions and client advocacy groups.

Currently, there are EBT projects in varying stages at several state agencies. The Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is in the process of a reprocurement of the State’s original EBT system. The Office of the Attorney General is in the process of moving their unbanked child support recipients to either a direct deposit account or a Visa branded debit card for their child support payments. The Department of State Health Services has been leading the nation in the establishment of a Women’s Infants and Children EBT system on a smart card. And, most recently, the Texas Workforce Commission is moving forward on their plans to issue a Visa or Mastercard brand debit card to replace their unemployment insurance warrants.

In addition to the programs mentioned above, HHSC has embarked upon perhaps the most innovative and comprehensive use of EBT technology with their Integrated Benefits Card project. The Integrated Benefits Card project will place several governmental services or benefits on one card or one platform. A feasibility study for the Integrated Benefits Card was released by HHSC in 2005, <http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/OIE/MIP/MIP_Updates.html>, identifying 42 potential state programs that could reside on one State integrated benefits card. The candidates range from immunization records to disaster assistance to state employee cards. The potential for cost sharing, achieving economies of scale, leveraging buying power, utilizing existing infrastructure and contracts can be extensive, and, save the state valuable human and financial resources.

If you have a program that you would like to bring into the paperless world and don’t know where to begin, the Interagency Task Force on EBT can help. They serve as the EBT oversight body with responsibility for the direction and coordination of EBT initiatives. Please contact Ginny Booton for more information on the Texas Interagency Task Force on EBT at 512.463.1442 or at <ginny.booton@cpa.state.tx.us>.

may see her during their lunch hour or may take sick leave (usually a half hour or so) to see her. She is licensed to prescribe medications in Texas and can help employees decide whether their complaint merits seeing a doctor. Ms. South does not treat complicated illnesses. For instance, she has oxygen available and can provide a breathing treatment for an asthma patient but she only provides the first treatment. If that is not sufficient, she refers the employee to their primary care physician.

Early indications are that the program will be valuable to both employees and TCEQ, since employees use less time away from the office for minor complaints; research shows that it can take from one to three hours for an office visit to a doctor and to pick up a prescription. The nurse practitioner can help the employee determine that he or she needs to see their primary doctor, but if a prescription will meet the needs, Ms. South can prescribe the appropriate medication. She works to ensure that the prescription will be cost effective for the employee. Employees do not pay a co-payment for the visit with Ms. South but do pay the regular amount for each prescription.

Ms. South advises that during her first month at the Health Center, she has identified the need to send a few employees to the emergency room and has been available to assist another employee when an incident occurred on-site. She advises that employees/patients have indicated their satisfaction with the program. ERS will study the results of this pilot program and make a determination of whether to expand to other state office complexes if the program has proved beneficial in meeting the health care needs of state employees as well as reducing the cost of state employee health care.

The Nurse Will See You Now continued from page 1

May 2006 | Volume 24, Number 2 | The Administrator 3

Have you ever considered what it might be like to be the Executive Director (ED) of a state agency? What’s a typical day like? What did they do to prepare themselves for the rigors of operating a state agency? What advice would they provide to career state employees? What’s their perspective on the challenges they face?

We chose three Executive Directors who worked their way through the ranks and they graciously agreed to spend some time with us – Brad Livingston, of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), Ann Fuelberg of the Employees Retirement System (ERS), and Larry Temple of the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC).

While each of these state agency heads possess somewhat different management styles, much of their philosophies and work ethic are similar. Arriving early and staying late was a theme that each expressed about normal work days. Each noted there were no typical days – each day is seldom like any other. Livingston and Temple oversee agencies that are statewide in nature, and something can be

going right or wrong in a remote region of the state at any point in time. While ERS is basically an “Austin agency,” its customers are located all over the state.

As lower- and mid-level state agency managers move up the leadership pyramid, Livingston emphasized hiring and surrounding yourself with top notch personnel, allowing

them to do their jobs, but holding them accountable.

”Look back at the end of each day and ask

yourself if you did the best you could,” Fuelberg

recommended. “If the answer is yes, go home

happy! If the answer is no, come back tomorrow and

look to improve on yesterday’s effort.”

Holding positions at the Legislative Budget Board

and the Governor’s Office of Budget Policy and

“What’s It Like at the Top?”

Planning before moving to TDCJ – first as the Deputy Chief Financial Officer (CFO), later the CFO, and then as Executive Director – Livingston could not overstate the need, in communicating with key offices, the requirement to “be honest and be clear. Your credibility is essential to success.”

“Never assume everyone understands the message you are trying to convey,” Temple elaborated. “Be sure you test their understanding of your message.”

Fuelberg, whose previous experience included serving as a Deputy Comptroller of Public Accounts and as a “non-practicing lawyer,” expressed a sentiment that we should “never take ourselves too seriously”, “always do our best”, and “don’t take things too personally”.

As you would expect, each ED faces unique challenges that relate to their own agency. Livingston spends a significant amount of his time on the challenges faced by his staff on the recruiting and retention of top quality correctional staff and managing all of the “pieces of the puzzle that make up offender population dynamics”.

“Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have added to our overall full plate of activities, “Temple noted. ”It’s always a juggling act for staff to effectively manage those unforeseen requirements and continue to complete the other duties that are part of the agency’s ongoing business.”

Fuelberg also highlighted two items that state employees often do not think about when we consider the services provided by ERS. First, that ERS competes for funding just like each and every state agency does. Second, that the ERS service delivery methodology is unique, in that it must be focused on delivering service through each agency’s Benefit Coordinators. ERS understands

continued on page 4

Ann Fuelberg Employees Retirement System

Brad Livingston Texas Department of

Criminal Justice

4 The Administrator | Volume 24, Number 2 | May 2006

“What’s It Like at the Top?” continued from page 3

that an agency’s Benefit Coordinator is ”on the ground” and can discuss, advise, and tailor the services that ERS centrally procures and provides to best meet that individual’s circumstance.

All three agreed with Fuelberg’s observation that maintaining a lifelong and continuous learning attitude is critical to success. Livingston said that providing growth opportunities for leadership development is “part and parcel” to every senior manager’s job. It is necessary to provide your employees with those leadership opportunities on a daily basis to grow bench strength for the agency and enable the individual to grow as well.

“Take chances. Be creative and innovative,” advised Temple. It is important that you

understand your folks will sometimes make mistakes. Temple also encouraged the establishment of contacts and relationships with your peers and colleagues in other state agencies. Those contacts will prove to be invaluable when you are working with that agency

on jointly implementing a new program or tapping them for advice as a resource when you are encountering a new challenge.

On a lighter note, we asked about any regrets they had about accepting the Executive Director position. “It can be real lonely up here if you don’t have good staff,” Temple said. Fuelberg quipped that she should have saved more money for retirement. Livingston joked that his BlackBerry goes off at all hours.

We asked each if they were better at delegating now than at previous jobs. One said, “Sometimes better, sometimes worse.” Another was “forced

to get better because the job is so much bigger and finally I had to get better.” The third said it was “not humanly possible to manage the agency without delegating better!”

At least one would not admit to knowing how long they had until they retire. Another asked about knowing in terms of “dog years,” while the third admitted to know in terms of regular sessions left. Those answers support Temple’s comment on the importance of maintaining a sense of humor despite the challenges and drama associated with their position.

In closing, it is certainly clear that all three ED’s consider it an honor and privilege to be public servants. And the TSABAA editors would like to thank each of our ED’s for spending some quality time with us and providing us a peek into their demanding worlds.

Larry Temple

Texas Workforce Commission

Thanks to Marva Scallion,

Team Manager at the Legislative Budget

Board (LBB) for the General Government

and Legislative agencies, for making the April 20, 2006

Bi-monthly meeting such a success.

More than 80 people attended the event

which explained the Base Reconciliation

process.

May 2006 | Volume 24, Number 2 | The Administrator 5

Postage Meter Migration PlanSeveral years ago, the United States Postal Service (USPS) published A Plan for Secure Postage Meter

Technology aimed at transitioning the installed base of postage meters from specific technology that has been demonstrated to be susceptible to revenue fraud to technology offering enhanced security. The migration plan also targets metering technology that results in USPS operating costs that may be avoided with newer technology.

The purpose of the plan is to retire manually reset meters that must be reset by a postal service employee and also to retire meters that use letterpress technology to print indicia. Per the USPS, the plan will migrate the installed base to digital printing technology that will provide valuable comprehensive mailing solutions for customers and provide necessary counterfeit protection against revenue loss for the USPS.

There are several phases in the plan and some meters will be permanently retired as part of the plan. The plan will be phased in over time per the following chart:

Phase Description Completion Date

I Mechanical Meters Retirement of all mechanical meters. Completed

II Manually Reset Meters Retirement of all electronic meters that needed to be manually reset by a postal service employee.

Completed

III Letterpress Technology (Non-Enhanced) Retires non-enhanced1 meters that use letterpress technology rather than digital printing to print indicia. These meters cannot be inspected remotely.

December 2006

IV Letterpress Technology (Enhanced) Retires enhanced2 meters that use letterpress technology rather than digital printing to print indicia. These meters cannot be inspected remotely.

December 2008

1Non-enhanced refers to meters that do NOT have a time-out feature that automatically disables the meter if not reset within a specific period of time or when certain pre-programmed criteria are met. Meters use the computerized meter resetting system known as CMRS.

2Enhanced refers to meters that DO have a time-out feature that automatically disables the meter if not reset within a specific period of time or when certain pre-programmed criteria are met.

Phases I and II of the plan have been completed. The deadline for use of Phase III postage meters is December 31, 2006. After that date, Phase III meters will no longer be authorized for use as postage-evidencing devices. These meters must be returned to the manufacturer no later than 30 business days after the usage deadline.

The deadline for retirement of Phase IV meters is December 31, 2008.

The indicia on the compliant meters will differ from the older meters as follows:

If you have questions as to whether your meter will be impacted by the planned migration, contact your meter manufacturer directly or visit the following Websites:

<www.usps.com/postagesolutions/flash.htm<http://www.pb.com/cgi-bin/pb.dll/jsp/LPWrapper.do?cntid=meterMigrationIndex&pageStyle=wrapper&cmpg

nid=OTC-MeterMigration&pageName=MeterMigrationHome&goalPage=&promold=1&msq=a&referid=&publisher=MeterMigration+URL#>

Pat Reyes-Payne, Mail Manager for the Texas Building and Procurement Commission, is also available for questions. Contact Pat at 463-2221 or <pat.reyes-payne@tbpc.state.tx.us>.

6 The Administrator | Volume 24, Number 2 | May 2006

Enterprise Messaging Services Now Available Through DIR Contract

A newly signed agreement between the Department of Information Resources (DIR) and IBM offers significant savings to state government on enterprise messaging (email) and additional related services. IBM was selected to design, develop, operate and manage the statewide system. At prices as low as $1.99 per mailbox per month and an estimated blended rate of $3.80, the agreement delivers an estimated 45% savings when compared to both agency self-reported costs and published national averages.

In addition to the significant cost savings, the agreement provides added security, performance guarantees, disaster recovery services, and increased functionality for public sector entities.

The agreement offers state agencies the opportunity to select from several email options including Lotus Notes, Microsoft Outlook and Web email. Structured on a managed service, pay-per-use basis, state agencies can mix and match the service levels and email options based on individual unit or staff needs and storage requirements.

Standard messaging client functionality such as e-mail, calendaring, task management and personal contacts, as well as, enterprise features such as anti-SPAM, virus protection, and enterprise address books are included in the core messaging services based on a 99.8% up-time service level.

Core messaging services are available on a per mailbox per month basis. All clients operate seamlessly with one another so customers can choose any combination of the client types below.

Client Type Storage* Setup Costs** Price / Mailbox / Month

Basic Web Email 10 MB none $1.99

Enhanced Web Email 25 MB none $3.90

Lotus Notes or Microsoft Outlook 25 MB none $5.52

*Extra storage available at an additional cost ** FY06 rates; setup fees included in rate

Agencies interested in more information should contact Joy Hall Bryant via email at <joy.hallbyrant@dir.state.tx.us> or by phone at 475-2346.

• Purchase of Refunded Service before the

cost increase on 9/1/06 (S.B. 1176 passed

during the 2005 legislative session included a

provision for the penalty interest on refunded

service to increase from 5% to 10% starting

September 1, 2006)

• People currently employed at a state agency

(contributing members) should have already

received letters from ERS informing them of

the cost of their refunded service.

• People who are not employed at a state

agency now but have some previous state

service for which they did not take a refund

(non-contributing members) will NOT receive

letters from ERS. Refer to ERS’s FAQ for

instructions to request a service purchase contract for time that was refunded.

• Employees that have one of the proportionate retirement programs (such as Texas Municipal Retirement System) will NOT receive letters from ERS. Refer to ERS’s FAQ for instructions to request a service purchase contract.

Below is a link to the FAQ developed by ERS with information and instructions to assist you in getting the help you need in the quickest manner. <http://www.ers.state.tx.us/Retirement/Refunded ServiceCreditFAQ.htm>

• Summer Enrollment will be July 24, 2006 through August 18, 2006

Watch for information soon about the Health Insurance Opt-Out Credit.

ERS ......................................HALF-PRICE ..................................ERS ................................................SALE ............................................

May 2006 | Volume 24, Number 2 | The Administrator 7

Texans are known for their independence and also for their generosity and working together to support the common good. Texas state agencies are no different. While agencies each pursue separate missions, they share many common needs and accomplish tremendous things when they join together. The implementation of H.B. 1516 provides a great example of agencies working together to benefit the whole state. Here are a few of their accomplishments:

Data Center Services

More than 200 staff from 27 different agencies are involved in the data center services project. They are led by the Data Center Advisory Committee, a group of IT Directors that has been meeting since July 2005. The Advisory Committee provides an agency perspective on many aspects of the project from data collection strategies to the governance framework. Additionally, staff from information technology, legal, human resources, and finance have dedicated significant time and energy to the project. Their contributions include gathering data on data center assets and resources, revising the base Interagency Contract, facilitating communication with affected staff, and building a strategy to address federal funding requirements.

Almost everyone involved with the data center project helped to build the Data Center Services Request for Offer (RFO). The RFO was released on March 31 and is published on the DIR website <http://www.dir.state.tx.us/datacenter/vendor/rfoDocuments.htm>.

It contains 67 documents and over 1300 pages that describe in detail the current environment, pricing, technical and human resource requirements, and goals for future consolidation.

The current environment includes $169 million in annual spend, of which $145 million is “supplier

assumed.” The supplier will not assume all data center expenditures; items like communications, occupancy and certain third party software costs shall remain with the agencies. The supplier will assume responsibility for managing 17 mainframes, over 7,000 servers, and printing 17.5 million pages monthly. To ensure the service provider delivers equal or better service to the state, the RFO includes a detailed service level methodology. There are 30 critical service levels (tied to financial credits for

the state) and 27 additional measurements. Highlights from the critical service levels include:• Availability – 99.75% for critical

infrastructure, 99.5% for high complexity servers and 99.9% for mainframes

• Print operations – 99% on time completion of recurring print jobs, 99% quality control for print output

• Batch processing – 99% successful backups and recoveries

• On site 24/7 security, employee background checks, etc.

As significant as the RFO development was, many agency staff have an even more

important task ahead of them – evaluating the responses. After May 31, when responses are due, many of the same people will again come together to read responses, score the proposals, and ultimately recommend a service provider for the state. Their involvement is critical to establishing a comprehensive perspective for the evaluation.

Commodity PurchasesA significant portion of the $1.8 billion the

state spends each year on information and communications technologies comes in the form of commodities – computer hardware, software and services. Coordinating these purchases for volume discounts and savings at the enterprise level is another key goal of H.B. 1516. To strengthen the ability to leverage the state’s purchasing power, the new legislation requires state agencies to use DIR contracts for IT commodity purchases. When combined with use by local governments and the education community, more than $700 million

H.B. 1516 Update

continued on page 8

8 The Administrator | Volume 24, Number 2 | May 2006

dollars will be leveraged in total purchasing power

in FY 2006.

Along with the requirement to use the

cooperative contract program, H.B. 1516 requires

state agencies to report projected commodity

purchasing to DIR. A group of subject matter

experts from a variety of agencies helped DIR

develop the Planned Procurement Schedule (PPS).

The first submission was due March 31, 2006

and agency effort to meet this requirement was

overwhelming.

The PPS will be used to identify opportunities

for even greater price reductions through

aggregated purchasing of commodity items and as

a means of determining the demand for specific

items not currently on contract. The next phase

of the process will include completion of the

PPS by other customers to broaden the value of

aggregated purchasing.

Agencies and DIR will continue to collaborate

on the data center and commodity purchasing

initiatives over the coming year; helping to bring

a variety of agency perspectives into the process.

This collective effort will further strengthen the

value all agencies receive from these important

projects.

The agency instructions for the development

of 2008-09 Legislative Appropriations Requests

(LAR) will be available on the Legislative Budget

Board (LBB) website at the end of April. The LAR

submission schedule will be similar to the 2006-07

LAR schedule with submissions beginning at the

end of July and continuing through August.

The 2008-09 LAR instructions are similar to

those used for preparing appropriations requests

for the 2006–07 Biennium except for the following

major differences:• Supplemental information to the Policy Letter

issued by the Governor’s Office of Budget, Planning and Policy (GOBPP) and the LBB that provides additional guidance on preparing the LAR has been added.

• A schedule for identifying the percentage of the agency’s funds that are appropriated in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) has been added.

• A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) site on the LBB website for LAR-related questions and issues has been added.

• The Summary of Budget by Method of Financing includes a new section which requires reconciliation of the number of full-time-equivalent (FTE) positions and identification of FTEs that are fully federally funded.

Hot off the press: LAR Instructions• For proposed major information resource

projects, agencies must submit the Business Case and Statewide Impact Analysis required by House Bill 1516, Seventy-ninth Legislature, Regular Session, 2005, to the Department of Information Resources, the State Auditor’s Office, and the LBB at the same time the LAR is submitted.

• The Performance Review Schedule is deleted.

Changes that are new to LAR instructions and

were included in Operating Budget instructions

include:• The reference for “Regular Appropriation” for

each method of finance for fiscal years 2006 and 2007 is the Conference Committee Report on Senate Bill 1 (May 2005) as found on the Legislative Budget Board website instead of the published version of Senate Bill 1.

• A schedule for collection of information related to homeland security expenditures has been added as part of the LAR submission (was formerly a spreadsheet submission).

• All Article VIII agencies are required to complete the Estimated Revenue Collections Supporting Schedule.

If any reductions from an agency’s base are

required a schedule will be provided to agencies to

use to make those reductions.

H.B. 1516 Update continued from page 7

May 2006 | Volume 24, Number 2 | The Administrator 9

TSABAA

Message from the PresidentThis year seems to be on warp speed as we near the end of the third fiscal quarter.

Where has the time gone?

I don’t know if you have noticed or not, but this year’s newsletter has been

outstanding and after each edition, I am a little concerned as to how the next edition

will measure up to the last one. The same goes for the Program Committee and

their Bi-monthly meeting presentations. Participation has been very impressive and

I wonder what topic they will come up with to top the last Bi monthly meeting. Not

to worry…all of the committees are loaded with talented individuals who have their

finger on the pulse of state government! The Membership Committee is also working

hard behind the scenes continuing to increase TSABAA membership, the Website

Committee is about to finalize its web enhancement project that will be unveiled

later this year, and the Constitutions, Resolutions and By-Laws Committee is

working on a minor adjustment to the By-Laws to present to membership for a vote

at the Annual Conference.

The Annual Conference Committee is also working diligently planning TSBAA’s

37th Annual Conference. This year’s conference will be held at the Del Lago Resort

on Lake Conroe in Montgomery, Texas July 19-21. Check out the TSABAA website

at <www.tsabaa.com> for the latest information on the following:

• Registration forms and program material will be available in the coming weeks;

• Del Lago Resort reservation information is currently available, just remember to

request the TSABAA rate; and

• The Awards Committee is accepting nominations for the 2006 TSABAA

Administrator of the Year until May 31st.

Take a break from your agency’s budget planning process and register to attend

this valuable professional development training and networking session while you

catch up on your CPE’s and join me in showing our appreciation for our amazing

volunteers and celebrate our fellow retirees.

Hoping to see you at Del Lago,

Pamela Scivicque

2006 TSABAA President

10 The Administrator | Volume 24, Number 2 | May 2006

Administrator of The Year AwardDeadline for Nominations Approaching

TSABAA will be formally recognizing

a business administrator for sustained

outstanding leadership and notable

contributions to the administration of a

state agency at the Summer Conference in

July. The award is intended to encourage

interest, growth, development and distinctive

leadership. One of the most prestigious of the

Association’s awards, the Administrator of

the Year award was first presented in 1984.

Nominations may be submitted by any state

agency in general or by individual state

employees, but the form must be signed by the

agency head of the nominee’s state agency.

If you know of a worthy administrator,

nominations are being accepted until

May 31, 2006. More information, along with

the nomination form and a list of previous

recipients is located at <http://www.tsabaa.com/TSAdoc7.htm>. Send nominations to Laura C.

Font, Chair of the Awards Committee,

at the TSABAA mailing address.

Upcoming Classification Audits

The State Auditor’s State Classification

Office started another statewide classification

compliance audit in March 2006. The scope

of the audit includes employees classified in

the Employment Specialist, Unemployment

Insurance Claims Examiner, and

Unemployment Insurance Specialist class series.

The purpose of the audit is to determine proper

classification of positions. They anticipate

releasing a report in July 2006. An agency

classification compliance audit is also on their

schedule. Texas Building and Procurement

Commission will undergo a classification audit

in June 2006. The purpose of the audit is to

determine proper classification of positions.

Personnel Moves✯ Milton Rister was named the Executive Director

of the Texas Legislative Council.

✯ Three changes in the Governor’s Office of Budget, Planning and Policy: long time staffer Cecile Young (special projects) has left to become the Office of Medical Support Initiatives Division Director at the Office of the Attorney General; Janice Ehlert (Public Education) has join the House Appropriations Committee staff to work on health and human services issues and Michael Gerber (Housing and Workforce) is now the Executive Director of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.

✯ Adelaide (Addie) Horn took the helm of the Department of Aging and Disability Services on the first of February. She replaces Jim Hine.

✯ Michael Doerr recently moved from the State Auditor’s Office to the Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services.

✯ Wilson Day recently moved into the Budget Section at the Department of State Health Services. Kathleen Barnett (formerly involved in the Budget Section) moved to the Accounting role at the Department of State Health Services.

✯ Joanna Peavy left the Texas Building and Procurement Commission and became the Chief Financial Officer at the Texas Legislative Council.

✯ Sandra Smith, the former Executive Director of the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners, has taken a position at the Texas Workforce Commission.

✯ Jesse Ayala has accepted a position with the Department of Aging and Disability Services.

✯ Aleks Necak has left the State Office of Administrative Hearings and taken a position with the Comptroller’s office.

✯ Lee Deviney has accepted a position in the budget office of the Department of Aging and Disability Services.

✯ Paul Campbell is leaving the Comptroller’s office to fill the position of Claims Management Section Director with TxDOT, formerly held by Brian Ragland.

Mark your calendar for the 37th Annual Summer Conference

July 19 - 21, 2006Del Lago Resort on Lake Conroe

Montgomery, Texas Stay tuned for details!

May 2006 | Volume 24, Number 2 | The Administrator 11

CreditsEditorsGene Crump, Linda Duncan, Linda Fernandez, Cheryl MacBride and Vicki Smith

Contributors Rachael Biggs, Ginny Booton, Leah Erard, Terese Foran, Jennifer Fox, David Guenthner, Patti Mahac, Leslie Mueller, Catherine South and Juliette Torres

Art DirectorJulie Vela

Texas State Agency Business Administrators’ Association

2006 OfficersPresident

Pamela ScivicqueBusiness Manager

Texas Public Finance Authority<pamela.scivicque@tpfa.state.tx.us>

463-3141

First Vice PresidentKen Welch

Director, Fiscal ManagementComptroller of Public Accounts

<ken.welch@cpa.state.tx.us>475-0549

Second Vice PresidentSuzanne Tolley

AccountantTexas Legislative Council

<suzanne.tolley@tlc.state.tx.us>463-1155

TreasurerGreg Herbert

Director of AccountingOffice of the Attorney General<Greg.Herbert@oag.state.tx.us>

475-4375

SecretaryCecilia Hibbs

Director of PurchasingTexas Senate

<cecilia.hibbs@senate.state.tx.us>463-0222

ParliamentarianLeslee Camarillo

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality<lcamaril@tceq.state.tx.us>

239-0299

Past PresidentRonnie Jung

Executive DirectorTeacher Retirement System<ronnie.jung@trs.state.tx.us>

542-6576

Learning i s about more than simply acquiring new knowledge and insights; it i s also crucial to unlearn old knowledge that has

outlive its relevance. Thus, forgetting i s probably at least

as important as learning. Gary Ryan Blair

Discounts And Special Deals For State Employees*

Sprint Cellular Service – 15% off of service

Dell Computers – see website

Advantage Rent-A-Car (extends state rates for personal travel – insurance not included)

Enterprise Rent-A-Car (extends state rates for personal travel – insurance not included)

La Quinta http://www.lq.com/lq/specials/txemployee.jsp

Are you aware of other discounts and deals for state employees? If so, contact one of our editors.

*To the best of our knowledge at the time this newsletter was created.