News Release
Governor Announces Leadership Transition at Department of Revenue
3/24/2003
Chuck Butler
406-444-5523
chbutler@state.mt.us
Governor Announces Leadership Transition at Department of Revenue
(Helena) – Governor Judy Martz today announced a transition in the leadership of the Department of Revenue.
Current Revenue Director Kurt Alme is planning to leave his position soon after the end of the legislative session to join the US Attorney's Office in Billings, Montana.
"Kurt has done an exceptional job in cooperation with the Revenue Department and Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity in developing the administration's tax policy for economic development and leading the department through a challenging time of budget cuts and the initial stages of transitioning to a new revenue computer system. During Kurt's tenure, the department has stayed on track to complete statewide reappraisal of property, successfully implemented last session's "Big Bill" simplifying state and local revenue transfers, streamlined and clarified liquor law, and increased compliance revenues to the state,” said Governor Martz. "I am thankful for the opportunity to work with Kurt and am saddened that he will be leaving our team. I am very happy for him as he accepts this new opportunity in his exceptionally bright career."
Linda Francis, who has been working within the Department for the past few months, brings expertise in business applications, change management systems and systems management. She will join the Department of Revenue immediately as an interim program manager to assist with planning for the transition of the wage-based taxes from POINTS to a new computer tax system.
"I am pleased that Linda will be assisting in the management of the department through the end of the session,” said Governor Martz. “It is my intent to name her as the department’s director when Kurt leaves."
The addition of Linda Francis to the management team at the Department of Revenue will help the department to transition as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible to the new computer system, the Governor continued.
"The technical transition to a new computer system is the key component in updating how we process taxes in our department," said Alme. "But just as important is managing the business process changes that need to occur in order for the transition to be as smooth as possible. This includes ensuring that all system users in the Department of Revenue are adequately trained and prepared to operate under the new system. I have worked with Linda in the past and I am confident that she will be a key asset in this process.”
Francis has nineteen years of professional management and consulting experience in both government and private sector, including experience in information technology, transportation services and health and human services.
Most recently, she has served as the Business Plan Administrator of the Department of Transportation, which included development and managing the department's strategic business plan and new performance appraisal system.
She was also the project executive for a $10 million dollar integrated financial system effort in the Department of Transportation. The goal of the system was to eliminate 35 separate financial applications and migrate all systems to the stat's People Soft solution utilizing the statewide accounting system.
Francis is also the President of Concentric Circles Consulting, and has provided consulting services to the Department of Administration, the Department of Transportation, the Montana Contractors Association and the Fort Peck Interpretive Center.
Francis was also the director of the Systems Group at Maximus, Inc. from 1997-1999, working on human resources information technology and business users projects in Montana, Washington, DC, Hawaii, Missouri, and Texas.
She served as the Director of the State and Local Systems Unit with BDM International from 1996-1997, and was the Director of Operations Analysis, Children and Family Services for Lockheed Martin IMS from 1994-1996. She also worked in various capacities in state government in North Carolina from 1989-1994.
From 1985-1989, Francis had a private counseling office and was a domestic relations hearing officer in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas.
Francis has a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Penn State University in 1989, a Master of Science Degree in Counseling from West Chester University in 1985 and received her bachelor's degree from North Carolina State University in 1973.
Francis was born in Nuremberg, Germany in 1953. She graduated from Terry Sanford High School (North Carolina) in 1970. Francis has no military experience. She is single with no children.
Francis' salary will be $83,932.
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