Lutheran Social Service chief to lead troubled state agency

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Gov. Tim Walz named Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota chief executive Jodi Harpstead to take over the troubled Department of Human Services on Monday, choosing a leader with experience managing large organizations to replace his first choice who abruptly resigned.

Pam Wheelock will continue as acting commissioner of the department, the largest state agency in Minnesota, until Harpstead takes over Sept. 3. Tony Lourey, a policy expert, stepped down as human services commissioner last month. Wheelock will also represent the agency Tuesday at a Minnesota Senate hearing on the department's recent turmoil.

Harpstead has held the top spot at Lutheran Social Service since 2011, managing a nonprofit that has more than 2,300 employees. Before that, she worked for 23 years at medical device maker Medtronic, where she managed a defibrillator product line with over 6,000 employees.

Walz, a Democrat, noted at a news conference that Harpstead already runs an organization that offers a broad array of human services — including housing, crisis shelters, mental health counseling, adoption, financial counseling, senior nutrition, foster care and services for the disabled.

"That is about the exact job description of the Department of Human Services in many cases," the governor said. "The vast majority of the programs are supported by government contracts ... meaning Jodi has worked with DHS closely over many years and has a great understanding of this agency."

The department accounts for nearly one-third of state spending, or about $13.3 billion in the current two-year budget, and serves about 1 million residents, including those who are poor, young or elderly, physically disabled and mentally ill. It has about 6,700 employees. Only schools get a bigger share of the state's budget.

Lourey, a former state...