Joe Balash was named the acting commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources by Governor Sean Parnell on Tuesday to replace former Commissioner Dan Sullivan who exited the position to run for the United State Senate in the upcoming 2014 election.

Balash began in his new position on Wednesday.

Balash was most recently a Deputy Commissioner responsible for overseeing the divisions of Oil and Gas and Geological and Geophysical Surveys as well as the Mental Health Trust Land Office, the State Pipeline Coordinator’s Office and the Gas Pipeline Project Office. He is also a member of Governor Parnell’s gas-line team.

Before being appointed to serve as Deputy Commissioner, Balash served in the Office of the Governor as special assistant to the Governor for energy and natural resource development issues. In that position, he coordinated policy on behalf of the Governor’s office, the departments of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, and the Alaska Energy Authority. He previously served as staff to the joint Legislative Budget and Audit Committee and he was Chief of Staff to the Senate President.

The former commissioner, Dan Sullivan’s last day as commisioner was Tuesday. He has entered the 2014 Senate race and will compete with Lt Governor Mead Treadwell and Joe Miller to face off with Senator Begich in the General Election.