Gov. Norm Bangerter has hired the recently retired managing partner of the Salt Lake City office of the national accounting firm of KPMG Peat Marwick as his new budget director.
Charles E. Johnson will take over one of the key positions in the Bangerter administration on Aug. 19, replacing the governor's longtime budget director, Dale Hatch.Hatch announced in June he was stepping down to accept another position in state government, that of Associate Commissioner of Higher Education for Budget and Finance.
Johnson, 55, retired from the accounting firm on June 30 and had served as a member of its board of directors and as chairman of its transition committee.
Before the new firm of KPMG Peat Marwick was created, Johnson served as director of audit of KMG Main Hurdman and on that company's professional standards committee and policy board.
Johnson has held a number of posts with state and national accounting organizations, including vice president of the Utah Association of Certified Public Accountants and as Utah's elected representative to the council of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
He earned an accounting degree with honors from Brigham Young University in 1960 and is a native of Grantsville. Johnson and his wife, Susanna, have six children. The family lives in Sandy.
"Charlie will bring a mix of private/public sector experience to this important assignment," Bangerter said. "I have known Charlie for many years and believe he will serve the citizens of this state well."
Since the governor announced last November he would not seek a third term, several high-ranking officials in the administration have found other jobs, including his chief of staff.
Bangerter has yet to name a replacement for Bud Scruggs, who recently accepted a teaching position in BYU's political science department beginning later this month.