Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe Appoints Dru Buntin as Office of Administration Commissioner

Jefferson City, MO — Realigning executive leadership across state fiscal operations, Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe announced the appointment of veteran public administrator and former Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Director Dru Buntin as Commissioner of the Missouri Office of Administration (OA), according to executive orders and reporting by News-Press NOW.

The Office of Administration functions as the central administrative and fiscal spine of Missouri state government, managing statewide executive budget preparation, capital project contracting, state accounting, personnel administration, and information technology infrastructure across all cabinet departments.

Buntin, who led the Department of Natural Resources through major federal water infrastructure grant distributions, agricultural soil conservation initiatives, and state park expansions, brings decades of senior statehouse administrative experience to the role. Governor Kehoe commended Buntin’s fiscal discipline and operational management, noting that modernizing state agency procurement systems and ensuring transparent expenditure tracking are essential priorities for the administration.

As OA Commissioner, Buntin will oversee the formulation of the Governor’s annual executive budget recommendations submitted to the Missouri General Assembly, managing state revenue allocations amidst shifting state income tax rate triggers and federal grant compliance mandates.

In tandem with Buntin’s transition, Governor Kehoe announced appointments to fill executive vacancies across natural resource oversight and environmental regulation, maintaining administrative continuity across state conservation and water quality divisions.

Legislative fiscal committee leaders in the Missouri Senate and House of Representatives welcomed the appointment, emphasizing the importance of close collaboration between the Office of Administration and legislative appropriations committees as lawmakers prepare for upcoming state budget hearings in Jefferson City.