February 6, 2006

ROMNEY NAMES JANICE S. TATARKA AS CONSUMER AFFAIRS DIRECTOR

Governor Mitt Romney today named attorney Janice S. Tatarka as director for the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, the agency responsible for consumer protection and maintaining honest competition in the marketplace.

“Janice Tatarka has dedicated her career to public service and has held key positions in state agencies that directly impact our business community and the needs of our citizens,” said Romney. “Her experience means that consumers and businesses in Massachusetts will be protected and well served.”

Since 1997, Tatarka has served as the deputy director and chief of staff for the Department of Workforce Development. She oversaw the management of the state’s 32 One-Stop career centers and coordinated workforce training programs including the Workforce Training Fund, which administers $21 million in yearly grants to help employers train workers.

During Tatarka’s tenure at the Department of Workforce Development, the agency created the Unemployment Insurance Fraud unit to track and convict people who are illegally receiving unemployment insurance benefits. Since July 2005, this unit has returned more than $150,000 to the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund.

From 1986 to 1997, Tatarka was the assistant secretary of administration and finance for the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs. As the chief financial officer for that agency, Tatarka oversaw the expenditure of more than $400 million in operating and capital funds in the state’s budget. Prior to her role at Environmental Affairs, she served in key budget roles in the Massachusetts House Ways and Means Committee.

As Consumer Affairs director, Tatarka will be responsible for the operation of the following seven regulatory agencies: the Department of Telecommunications and Energy; the Division of Energy Resources; the Division of Banks; the Division of Insurance; the Division of Standards; the Division of Professional Licensure; and the State Racing Commission.

“Massachusetts has set high standards when it comes to consumer protections and business oversight,” said Tatarka. “Consumers and businesses rely on this office to advocate for their needs and to maintain a fair and honest marketplace. I am honored that Governor Romney has put his trust in me, and I will continue to uphold the administration’s commitment to these high standards.”

A Chelsea resident, Tatarka received her law degree from Suffolk University and bachelor’s degree from Brown University.

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