State commerce secretary leaving – second major departure this month

Gov. Sam Brownback announced the departure of his commerce secretary on Tuesday – the second high-ranking administration official to leave this month.

The departures come as multiple sources say Brownback is being vetted for a position within President Donald Trump’s administration.

The commerce secretary, Antonio Soave, will return to the private sector after taking the state position in November 2015.

“Secretary Soave added great vision to the Department of Commerce,” Brownback said in a statement. “He brought enthusiasm for entrepreneurship and experience working with businesses in a wide range of industries. We wish him well in his new endeavors.”

Soave’s tenure was relatively non-controversial, though lawmakers did scrutinize the state’s use of STAR bonds during his time as secretary. The economic development tool has been criticized by some lawmakers who say it has been misused and diverts sales tax revenue from the state.

“We have been able to move Kansas forward through our extensive marketing and business-to-business efforts whereby the Kansas Department of Commerce has been able to serve as an effective conduit, convener and connector of people and companies,” Soave said in a statement.

Nick Jordan, the current head of the Governor’s Economic Advisory Council and a former secretary of revenue, will be interim secretary. The search for a permanent secretary will begin immediately, the governor’s office said.

Brownback announced earlier this month that his deputy chief of staff, Kim Borchers, would leave for a position with the Foundation for Government Accountability. The Florida-based organization often promotes policies heralded by Republican lawmakers and is a proponent of welfare eligibility changes made by Brownback.

Borchers had served in the Brownback administration since 2011, the year he assumed office. Her last day in the governor’s office will be Friday.

No firm timeline has emerged for a possible federal appointment for Brownback. Kansas Republican Party chairman Kelly Arnold said earlier in June that the federal government had performed background checks but that he didn’t know about a specific position or when an announcement would happen.

But officials in Topeka are preparing for the transition from Brownback to Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer, he said.

Discussion of possible positions has centered on U.S. ambassador for food and agriculture and U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.

Contributing: Bryan Lowry and Lindsay Wise of McClatchy Newspapers

This story was originally published June 27, 2017 at 11:02 AM with the headline "State commerce secretary leaving – second major departure this month."