Jefferson City, Mo. - The Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration has named former budget officer Grady Martin as the new director of its Resource Administration Division. Martin took over Jan. 1 for Rochelle Hendrickson, who retired at the end of 2010 after 28 years in state government.

Martin joined the department as its budget officer seven years ago, having served before that in budget and planning at the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for eight years. As director of the Resource Administration Division, he will have responsibility for the department's annual budget and dedicated funds, as well as insurance agent licensing, human resources, accounting and more.

"Grady is a responsible fiscal steward and administrator, who has provided excellent budgetary guidance for five insurance directors," said John M. Huff, director of the department that regulates insurance companies and agents, banks, credit unions and other lenders, as well as several hundred thousand professionals. "He has that valuable mix of knowledge of the state budget - a highly technical subject - and the ability to explain the process to department leaders, legislators and others."

Martin, a native of Sikeston, Mo., is a 1994 graduate of Southeast Missouri State University. He also earned a master's in public administration from the Truman School of Public Affairs at the University of Missouri in 2002.