Kelvin Simmons of Columbia will be his Commissioner of Administration in January.

Nixon said Simmons, who works in Kansas City, has the necessary experience and managing skills for the job.

Both Nixon and Simmons agree that during this tough economic time, the government must be prepared to do more with less.

"It's especially important for us to have an administration, which is prepared to lay out the shared principals that moves the state of Missouri forward. I look forward to doing that. I greatly, greatly appreciate Kelvin's history in that and expect that he will give me solid council on how we move the state forward together," Nixon said.

The Office of Administration coordinates central management aspects of the state government.