New DED director steps down

Just a month after being appointed as director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development, Jason Hall has stepped down.

After the Missouri Senate's Gubernatorial Appointments Committee yesterday refused to vote to confirm Gov. Jay Nixon's appointment before the constitutional deadline, the new director submitted his resignation.

“With his strong professional background and extensive experience in helping Missouri businesses create jobs, Jason Hall is exactly the type of strong leader Missourians need at our Department of Economic Development,” Nixon said in a news release. “This inaction by the Senate will not dissuade me from continuing to work relentlessly with business and community leaders to create jobs and keep our economy moving forward.”

Nixon made the appointment Dec. 30 after former DED Director David Kerr stepped down from the post after about two years on the job.

Hall, who previously was executive director of the Missouri Technology Corp., will continue to aid Nixon as deputy director of the DED, said Sam Murphey, a spokesman for the governor, via e-mail this morning.

Today, Nixon named Chris Pieper, deputy counsel to the governor, as acting director of the DED while the governor searches for a permanent replacement. Prior to joining the governor's office, Pieper served as general counsel for the DED from June 2010 to January of this year, the release said.

Senators had questioned Nixon's nomination of Hall for the position, suggesting a lack of experience and citing an audit critical of the MTC.

In late 2010, then-Missouri Auditor Susan Montee released a state audit accusing the technology agency of conflicts of interest, misuse of funding and being unable to effectively attract business investments to the state, according to the Associated Press.

According to the AP article, Montee accused Hall of making political threats against her as she ran for re-election and said he had a personal relationship with Tom Schweich, who won the election and became the state auditor in January.

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