Gov. Kate Brown Doubles Down On Her Bet On a Longtime Associate to Run Oregon Lottery

Barry Pack will run the agency that is the state's second largest source of revenue after income taxes.

Barry Pack

Gov. Kate Brown today named her longtime associate Barry Pack as permanent director of the Oregon Lottery.

Pack has been acting director since Brown fired former Lottery director Jack Roberts in April.

Pack has no prior experience in the gambling industry and has not previously managed a state agency. He does have a long history with Brown, however.

He was chief of state in the Senate Democratic Caucus from 1998 to 2003 when Brown was caucus leader and served as her deputy secretary of state from 2008 through 2012.

Brown shook up her staff after a tough re-election battle against Republican challenger Dr. Knute Buehler in 2012 and exiled Pack to the Department of Administrative Services, where he worked until Brown fired Roberts. Pack was deputy chief operating officer in that agency.

Now, subject to Senate confirmation next month, Pack will run the agency that is the state's second largest source of revenue after income taxes.

If confirmed, he will be paid a salary of $180,540.

Brown also named Alexis Taylor to head the Oregon Department of Agriculture, a post vacated by Katy Coba, whom Brown previously named to head the Oregon Department of Administrative Services.

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