KDI

TOPEKA — Ken Selzer, CPA, Kansas Commissioner of Insurance, is announcing administrative changes and joint working priorities regarding the July 1 transition of the Kansas Securities Commissioner’s office into a division of the Kansas Insurance Department (KID).

Commissioner Selzer has named John Wine, current insurance department Assistant Commissioner, to be Securities Commissioner, subject to Kansas Senate confirmation. Wine, an attorney, has been with KID for eight years, serving as General Counsel and Assistant Commissioner.

Prior to working at the insurance department, Wine had been on the Kansas Corporation Commission, serving as chair for six years; had served as the Securities Commissioner in 1995-96; and had been Assistant Secretary of State.

Wine’s appointment as Securities Commissioner by Commissioner Selzer would run through Jan. 17, 2019, as specified in Senate Bill 23 legislation, which realigned the Securities Commissioner’s office with KID, effective at the beginning of the upcoming fiscal year.

“The law allows the Securities Commissioner to function as an independent state official with legislative approval,” Commissioner Selzer said. “This will provide Kansans with additional consumer protections going forward.”

“Thank you to outgoing Securities Commissioner Josh Ney for his service to the agency,” Commissioner Selzer added. “Our team will work with him as he assists with this transition during the next two months.”

Replacing Wine as Assistant Commissioner at KID is Clark Shultz, currently Deputy Commissioner. Shultz has served KID as Deputy Commissioner since 2015, after serving as a Kansas State Representative and Senator. His legislative duties included chairing the House of Representatives Insurance Committee and the Rules Committee.

“The professionalism and guidance of John and Clark will be invaluable as we move forward with streamlining and improving the processes of our combined agencies,” said Commissioner Selzer.

The insurance department has approximately 105 employees, while the securities office employs approximately 30. For the immediate future, both agencies will continue to be housed in their current Topeka offices.

With the restructuring of the agencies comes increased emphasis on finding ways to consolidate functions. Initial steps will be taken in the areas of consumer education, licensing and investigations, Commissioner Selzer said.

“Those three functions are integral to both agencies,” Commissioner Selzer said, “and we believe that we can begin the consolidation process by focusing on how we can find commonalities and cost savings in each area. In doing so, we can better protect the public, reduce costs and be more productive.”