By WILL WHATLEY, Alabama Daily News
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Kelly Butler will serve as Acting Finance Director, Gov. Kay Ivey announced Tuesday.
He replaces Clinton Carter, who is departing the top cabinet post for a senior position in the University of North Carolina System, Alabama Daily News reported in July.
Butler currently serves as Assistant Finance Director, overseeing the State Comptroller’s Office, the State Purchasing Division, the State Debt Management Division and the State Business Systems Division. Butler will additionally continue his work on building Ivey’s budget proposals leading up to the 2019 Legislative Session.
“Kelly Butler has more than two decades of experience working with the state’s budgets and more than three decades experience as a fiscal analyst. I know he will do an excellent job leading the Alabama Department of Finance during this interim period,” Governor Ivey said. “I appreciate him stepping up as acting director and his commitment to my administration.”
Butler began his state career with the Alabama Department of Revenue more than thirty years ago. Later, he worked for the Legislative Fiscal Office before joining the Alabama Department of Finance as Assistant State Budget Officer in 2012. Since then, Butler has served as State Budget Officer and most recently as Assistant Finance Director for Fiscal Operations.
“I am honored that Governor Ivey has asked me to lead the Department of Finance. The department has many talented employees who work hard to provide excellent services to other state agencies and to the people of Alabama. I look forward to working with them to continue those excellent services,” Butler said.
Butler’s appointment goes into effect Wednesday, August 15. He will serve in the position until a thorough search for a permanent Finance Director can be conducted, according to Ivey’s office.
The Finance Director is one of the top positions in state government, responsible for crafting the governor’s annual budget proposals, ensuring the state’s bills and payroll get paid, and overseeing a department with 13 divisions and 350 employees.