A replacement has been appointed to fill the Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner position vacated by Clark "Click" Bishop when he retired in March.

Taking over the labor and Workforce Development’s top spot is Dianne Blumer. Blumer has been a special assistant to Governor Parnell.

“Dianne is profoundly competent and will provide steady leadership at the Department of Labor,” Governor Parnell said. “Her impeccable work ethic, integrity in the workplace, and high level of commitment to the people of Alaska will be an asset to the department.”

Blumer has held numerous senior level management positions including director of the Division of Personnel and Labor Relations, and as deputy director for the Child Support Services Division. She has been involved in numerous state contract negotiations and has been the lead advocate in arbitration proceedings. In addition to her public service, Blumer has previously managed a hotel in Sitka and has been a small business owner of two successful businesses in Juneau.

Born in Ketchikan and raised on Prince of Wales Island, Blumer’s father was a commercial fisherman.

Blumer has worked in state service for 20 years, serving on the Juneau Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the board of directors for the Wildflower Court Assisted Living, and currently serves on the Public Transportation Advisory Board for the Municipality of Anchorage and on the Alaska prisoner re-entry task force.

“I am honored to serve in this capacity,” Blumer said. “I look forward to working with agency staff and the public to provide efficient and exceptional service. I am committed to ensuring that we have a ready workforce to meet the business demands of the state, and an environment of opportunity that provides good jobs for Alaskans.”

David G. Stone held down the spot since Bishop resigned as Acting Commissioner.