Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s spokeswoman, Tammy Kikuchi, is stepping down to take a similar job with the state Department of Natural Resources — for considerably less money.
Kikuchi was hired by Huntsman shortly after his election a year ago at an annual salary of more than $100,000, about $30,000 more than her predecessors. In her new job as director of communications and marketing for natural resources, she'll earn $65,000.
The governor won't fill her position, Kikuchi said, but instead will give her duties to his deputy chief of staff, Mike Mower. Mower, who is also Huntsman's legislative liaison, will be helped by two communications assistants, including one yet to be hired, Kikuchi said.
It's an arrangement similar to what some previous administrations have done.
The decision for Kikuchi to leave the governor's office apparently was mutual. "We both have been kind of thinking and talking a little bit," Kikuchi said. She said she didn't realize how demanding on her time the job would be.
"I have absolutely loved every minute of it," Kikuchi said, but added she's looking forward to spending more time with her husband and young daughter. "I guess you just don't realize, when you're in the thick of it . . . everything snowballs so fast."
As for taking a pay cut when she starts her new job on Nov. 21, Kikuchi said, "It's OK. I didn't take this job in the first place for the pay."
She said the attention the size of her salary received in the media "took me by surprise."
Her new boss, Natural Resources executive director Mike Styler, said he was able to tell Kikuchi he was "asking for an eight-hour day, where she's probably putting in a 16-hour day with the governor.
"We have some exciting things we want her to work on, but there's not going to be the pressure and the stress there has been in the governor's office. . . . We almost feel like we've pulled a coup in getting her to work for us."
Styler said he was approached by Huntsman's new chief of staff, Neil Ashdown, about a week ago and told Kikuchi was looking for a new job. The former public information officer for natural resources, Robin Thomas, had left for another position in state government.
Huntsman called Kikuchi "about the best I've met in the communications world, and in the area of natural resources policy and land policy there is need for something with her communications skills. We looked and found the very best was right here."
The governor also said that "while I will miss her in our media office," Kikuchi will do a good job for the state in her new position.
Kikuchi has chosen not to receive state insurance benefits, which allowed the department to increase her salary, Jason Curry, public affairs coordinator for natural resources, said. Also, the position has been changed "to reflect Tammy's talents and level," he said.
She is the second high-ranking member of the Huntsman administration to leave. The governor's former chief of staff and campaign manager, Jason Chaffetz, left last week to return to the private sector.
Contributing: Joe Bauman
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