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<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><img width="624" height="147" style="width:6.5in;height:1.5312in" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.png@01D67F7C.0AF35600"></span></b><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">August 31, 2020<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><u><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">Gov. Little appoints Russ Barron to lead Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Boise, Idaho – Governor Brad Little announced today Russ Barron will lead the recently restructured Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses, the state agency responsible for administering
licenses for dozens of professions and businesses in Idaho.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">“Russ shares my desire to keep Idaho regulations as streamlined as possible. His strong leadership skills and track record in efficiently managing government entities make him a great fit for this
important post,” Governor Little said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Barron has served as executive director of the Idaho Board of Nursing since June of 2019.
</span><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Barron worked for the Idaho Department of Welfare for more than 20 years, holding the positions of director for two years, deputy director for three years, and administrator of the Division of Welfare for nine years.
Barron received his Bachelor’s degree in Business Management at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas, and his Masters of Business Administration degree from Boise State University.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">“I appreciate the opportunity Governor Little has entrusted to me to lead the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses and help fulfill his vision of regulatory excellence in Idaho. All
the professions involved with this new organization are extremely important to Idaho citizens and the economy. I look forward to working with all the boards and their stakeholders to help ensure the boards’ missions are achieved through collaboration, exceptional
service to customers, and the appropriate amount of regulation,” Barron said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Governor Little signed an executive order in June to shrink the size of state government.
</span><a href="https://gov.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/74/2020/06/eo-2020-10.pdf"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">Executive Order 2020-10</span></a><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""> consolidated 11 separate agencies into the new Division
of Occupational and Professional Licenses, a move that will lead to efficiencies and result in better service at a lower cost for Idaho license holders.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">The executive order helps ensure Idaho keeps its status as the least regulated state in the country – a title Idaho achieved by working with legislators, agencies, and the public during Governor
Little’s first year as governor. Idaho cut and simplified 75-percent of rules in a matter of months.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">With <a href="https://gov.idaho.gov/pressrelease/governor-little-signs-two-executive-orders-further-cutting-government-red-tape/">
Governor Little’s Zero-Based Regulation executive order</a> earlier this year, which forces a routine review of rule chapters annually, Idaho regulations will remain streamlined, user-friendly, and easy to understand moving forward.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">“When we reduce regulatory friction, good jobs follow – something we need now more than ever before,” Governor Little said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""># # #<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: Marissa Morrison Hyer, Press Secretary<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">208-943-1686 or </span>
<a href="mailto:marissa.morrison@gov.idaho.gov"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">marissa.morrison@gov.idaho.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans"">--<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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