FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 15, 2008
Contact: Jason Moon 517-335-1700

LANSING - Today Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation (OFIR) Commissioner Ken Ross appointed Stephen Hilker OFIR Chief Deputy Commissioner. Hilker’s appointment was effective Monday, August 11, 2008. With the appointment of a single Chief Deputy, OFIR will no longer be divided into the Office of Financial Evaluation and the Office of Regulatory Compliance & Consumer Assistance. The new executive level structure will bring greater cohesiveness to the agency and increase communication across division lines. 

Mr. Hilker most recently served as a Bureau Director in the Michigan Department of Treasury and has 30 years of experience in administrative and financial management within government environments. 

“Stephen possesses the skill and experience to contribute significantly to our agency’s continued success and he will add value to our operational and regulatory programs,” said Ross.  

Hilker’s duties will include directing the operations of the agency to ensure its mission, goals and objectives are met. He will also oversee the development and implementation of OFIR’s regulatory policy, provide technical support to the Commissioner and act on behalf of the Commissioner in his absence.

Prior to his time at the Department of Treasury, Hilker’s positions in state government include Budget and Finance Officer for the Department of Public Health and CFO and Deputy Director for the Department of Social Services.

Mr. Hilker received his B.S. in Psychology and Statistics from Michigan State University.  He also received his MBA and performed post-graduate work in Accounting at Michigan State University and has done Doctoral studies at Western Michigan University with a focus on budgeting and program innovation.

He is a Certified Public Accountant, a Certified Fraud Examiner, and a Certified Internal Auditor.  He has 21 years experience in State budget and finance, 3 years of experience in quality control, and 7 years in tax revenue operations.

Mr. Hilker resides with his wife Nancy Hilker in Haslett. They have nine children.

OFIR is responsible for the regulation of Blue Cross Blue Shield, 27 HMOS, 137 banks, 169 domestic insurance companies, 221 credit unions, 1,303 foreign insurance companies, 1,750 investment advisers, 2,100 securities broker-dealers, 7,772 consumer finance lenders, 146,419 insurance agents, and 115,000 securities agents.

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