SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham added to her Cabinet on Friday with the appointment of Robert Doucette Jr. to lead the General Services Department, the agency that oversees state purchasing, buildings and vehicles.
Doucette, a longtime state and county administrator, will succeed John Garcia, who stepped down this month after more than a year on the job.
The addition comes as Lujan Grisham sees an unusual amount of turnover during a legislative session. Three Cabinet secretaries have announced plans to leave since the session started.
Doucette has been serving as the director of the Workers Compensation Administration. He’s also spent time as deputy state insurance superintendent and deputy Sandoval County manager.
“The General Services Department is the backbone of state government and Robert Doucette has the proven skills to lead with competence and integrity,” Lujan Grisham said in a written statement. “Robert is a consistent, strategic leader with 20 years of experience in effectively managing local and state governments.”
Doucette’s appointment is subject to confirmation by the state Senate, but he can begin work right away.
“From a young age,” he said, “my parents instilled in me that public service that helps address the needs in our communities is an upstanding profession.”
Cabinet secretaries typically make about $169,600 a year, though the salary varies for some departments.
