News Release
December 16, 2003 - Taft
Names Wilkins Tax Commissioner
COLUMBUS (December 16, 2003) - Governor Bob Taft announced
the appointment of William W. Wilkins as Ohio Tax
Commissioner. Wilkins, 59, will start his job on January 19.
"Bill brings extraordinary ability and integrity to this
position," said Governor Taft. "He is committed to further
streamlining the management of the tax department, and he'll
be a key player in our work to advocate the type of tax
reform needed to grow our economy."
Wilkins currently is president and CEO of Global Health
Solutions, a consulting and government relations firm that
specializes in services to the health care industry. From
1995 to 2002, he served as president and CEO of OhioHealth.
As a member of former Governor Rhodes' cabinet, Wilkins has a
long history of public service. He served as director of the
Office of Budget and Management and director of the
Department of Administrative Services.
As Tax Commissioner, Wilkins will be responsible for
overseeing the Ohio Department of Taxation (ODT). The Tax
Commissioner is responsible for the administration of most
state-collected taxes and several locally-collected taxes,
and exercises supervision over the real properties tax. ODT
has a staff of approximately 1,300 working in Columbus, seven
regional offices in Ohio and three branch offices out of
state.
Originally from Lancaster, Wilkins received a Bachelor of
Science degree from The Ohio State University and pursued
Graduate Studies in Business Administration at the University
of Toledo. Additionally, Wilkins serves as Chair of the
Governor's Blue Ribbon Task Force on Financing Student
Success and Chairman of the Ohio Turnpike Commission. Wilkins
will remain on the Blue Ribbon Task Force, but will resign
from the Ohio Turnpike Commission.
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Contact: Orest Holubec, Governor's Office, at (614)
644-0957;
or Gary Gudmundson, ODT, at (614) 644-6903.