Gov. Nixon Taps Familiar Faces for Missouri Appointments

Every so often, Gov. Jay Nixon taps some notable names to fill the nearly endless stream of posts in state government. Wednesday was no exception, as the Democratic governor picked several familiar faces from the St. Louis metro area for appointments.

For example, Nixon appointed Crestwood resident Jim Avery to fill a slot for the Labor and Industrial Relations Commission. Avery, who served as a state representative for Crestwood and Sunset Hills in the 2000s, previously was the chairman of the state board of mediation.

According to the governor's office, Avery will review administrative appeals of workers' compensation awards, unemployment compensation, crime victims' compensation and tort victims' compensation cases. His appointment will expire in 2016.

Nixon also appointed Ballwin resident David Kerr to the Missouri Technology Corporation. Kerr recently left his post as director of the Department of Economic Development. He was replaced by Jason Hall, an attorney with Bryan Cave who was previously on the MTC.