On Friday, Hamilton County lost another top official to the administration of Gov.-elect Bill Haslam.
Rebecca Hunter, the county human resources director, will become the new commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Human Resources, the Haslam team announced Friday.
Hunter, 55, called it “an opportunity of a lifetime.” She said she will be sworn in today, but she will be traveling between Chattanooga and Nashville as she ties up loose ends. She said she’s been in talks with Haslam since mid-December.
“It was difficult because the county has wonderful employees,” she said of her decision.
It creates another vacancy for Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger to fill. Human Services Administrator Scott Schoolfield retired, and special assistant to the mayor Mike Carter, Coppinger’s rival for the mayor’s job, resigned.
Coppinger said he has no immediate plans to hire another special assistant and said he is still searching for Schoolfield’s replacement.
He said chief of staff Jeannine Alday would handle Hunter’s responsibilities for now. Coppinger wished Hunter well.
“Rebecca was an extremely talented individual who had a wealth of knowledge about county government and the human resources department,” Coppinger said. “We’re happy and excited for Rebecca Hunter.”
Hunter spent six years as the county’s human resources director and prior to that spent 12 years as the county’s financial management director. She joins former mayor Claude Ramsey, who will become deputy to the governor and chief of staff for Haslam.
According to the release, Hunter’s resume includes membership in numerous professional organizations, and she is also a commissioner on the Hixson Utility District. She is chairwoman of the HealthCare 21 Business Coalition. She is a certified public accountant and certified government financial manager. She is also a senior professional in human resources.
Commission Chairman Larry Henry said Hunter has been an indispensable part of the mayor’s staff.
“We’re going to miss her at county government,” he said.