A 40-year veteran finance administrator with the State of Tennessee has announced his retirement from state service, effective this summer. Mike Morrow is deputy commissioner of the Department of Finance and Administration (F&A), a position he has held since 2006.
“Mike is a strong leader and manager whom I, and those before me, have greatly relied on, not only in day to day operations and processes, but in a number of key state efforts,” Commissioner Larry Martin said.
“His professional commitment to the state is exemplary, as attested by his public service career accomplishments.”
Mr. Morrow’s state career spans a total of 10 commissioners and seven governors, after beginning his career with the state on January 2, 1975, as an internal grant auditor. He moved to F&A in 1987 as the department’s fiscal officer.
Among his many accomplishments, Mr. Morrow provided oversite for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) in 2009 and 2010, for which he was named administrator of the year by the Tennessee Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration. He is a graduate of the Tennessee Government Executive Institute Class of 1997.
“It’s been a great privilege to work in public service and to be part of the state’s efforts to serve Tennesseans,” Mr. Morrow said. “The experience has been my life’s joy, but I’m looking forward to traveling with my family and learning how to fish all over again.”
Mr. Morrow and his wife, Lou, have been married for 37 years and have two children.
Replacing Morrow is Eugene Neubert, deputy commissioner for operations for the Tennessee Department of Health.
“Eugene has been a key member of the TDH Senior Leadership Team and while we will miss him a great deal, we are very proud and excited for him in this significant promotion and for what he will bring to our entire state government structure in this critical position,” said TDH Commissioner John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH. “His ‘can do’ administrative style, deep knowledge acquired in 17 years in state government and wise leadership of externally-facing customer service agencies puts him in a strong position to build on the great progress Mike has achieved under the leadership of Commissioners Martin and Emkes on Governor Haslam’s priority for efficient and effective state government.”
Mr. Neubert has served as deputy commissioner of operations for the Tennessee Department of Health since 2012. Prior to that, he served as assistant commissioner of the department’s Bureau of Administrative Services. Neubert came to TDH from the Department of Commerce and Insurance, where he served as assistant commissioner for administration, fiscal officer, budget director and as a staff auditor. Neubert received his Bachelor of Science degree from Tennessee Technological University, and is a member of the 2003 class of the Tennessee Government Executive Institute.
“I am appreciative to Commissioner Martin for this opportunity and excited to continue my service to the people of Tennessee at the Department of Finance and Administration,” Mr. Neubert said.
Mr. Morrow’s official last day is Aug. 14, but he plans to remain on board to assist Mr. Neubert in the transition.