Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

The Governor’s Office Thursday announced the appointment of Mark B. Liedl as Executive Assistant at the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD).

The post is the third highest-ranking position in the Department. Liedl will report to Linda Stewart, DWD’s Secretary.

Liedl fills a vacancy created by the departure of Connie O’Connell, who was named last month by Governor Tommy Thompson as the State Insurance Commissioner.

Liedl has been the Marketing Division administrator in the State Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and is a former communications director and federal relations counsel in Gov. Thompson’s office.

The appointment is effective immediately.

The Department has an annual budget of $1.3 billion and about 2,400 staff. It was established in mid-1996 as part of a reorganization of state government. Many of its programs previously were assigned to the Department of Industry, Labor and Human Relations, which was abolished.

Stewart earlier this month announced the appointments of Orlando Canto as Deputy Secretary, Bruce C. Hagen as Unemployment Insurance Division administrator, and Maureen Hlavacek as Administrative Services Division administrator.