Gov. Kelly Turns To Amazon Finance Manager To Replace Retiring State Budget Director

From the Kansas Reflector:

By
Tim Carpenter - December 1, 2020

TOPEKA — The state budget director who balanced the books for Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is retiring and will be replaced by an Amazon finance manager who previously had oversight of Kansas’ Medicaid program.

Adam Proffitt, who was at Amazon after leaving state government and had career stops at Payless ShoeSource and Capital Federal Savings Bank, will assume the role of director of the budget. His task is to serve interests of the executive branch and work with the Republican-led Legislature on state government budgets that balance and conform to mandates of the Kansas Constitution.

“Adam brings a wealth of experience from both the public and private sector, including previously serving as the state Medicaid director in my administration,” Kelly said.

Larry Campbell, the outgoing state budget director, was appointed to the job in February 2018 by Colyer. He was well-known in the Capitol, having served as GOP state representative from 1997 to 2005 and from 2012 until hired by Colyer.

Kelly decided in January 2019 to retain Campbell and marked his retirement by praising his willingness to engage in bipartisan service to the state. He’s also held public office for much of the past three decades as a member of the Olathe City Council and as mayor.

“The director of the budget is never an easy role,” Kelly said, “but Larry has my sincere appreciation and gratitude for his diligent efforts to manage our state’s budget through unique and challenging circumstances.”

Proffitt left the Kelly administration in June to begin a job as a finance manager at Amazon. He had been appointed state Medical director in 2019, a position placing him in charge of the state’s privatized KanCare program. He previously was director of health-care finance at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

He spent 10 years in financial planning at Payless ShoeSource, which had its headquarters in Topeka. He had a job as an analyst at Capitol Federal.

“I look forward to working with the governor, with the state agencies and with the Legislature to ensure that Kansas’ fiscal health remains strong, both now and into the future,” he said.

The Kansas Reflector seeks to increase people's awareness of how decisions made by elected representatives and other public servants affect our day-to-day lives. We hope to empower and inspire greater participation in democracy throughout Kansas.