Nixon asks Senate for DED director approval

Gov. Jay Nixon is asking the state Senate to make permanent his choice to lead the Missouri Department of Economic Development.

Mike Downing was named to the position in the interim last April after two resignations. The appointment, announced yesterday by the governor's office, is subject to confirmation by the Missouri Senate, according to a news release.

If approved, Downing would succeed Jason Hall, Nixon's late 2011 pick for the job after the resignation of two-year director David Kerr. A month into the job, Hall stepped down after the Senate's Gubernatorial Appointments Committee refused to vote to confirm his appointment. Chris Pieper, a member of Nixon's staff, served in the interim between Hall and Downing, according to Springfield Business Journal archives.

Downing first joined the DED in 1982, serving under Govs. Kit Bond, John Ashcroft, Mel Carnahan, Bob Holden, Roger Wilson and Matt Blunt, before taking a job as executive director of Missouri Core Partnership, a nonprofit economic development agency. He returned to the DED in 2010 as deputy director and director of business development until his interim appointment to the top position, the release said.

"With more than 30 years of service in the field of economic development, Mike is one of the most experienced and respected economic development officials in the country," Nixon said in the release. "With Mike at the helm, Missouri has attracted significant investments by major employers such as Express Scripts, Cerner, Ford, GM and Monsanto, helping make the Show-Me State a Top 10 state for job growth during the past year."