There is no post-election vacation for the governor-elect, who told reporters Wednesday he was meeting later in the day with outgoing Gov. Olene Walker to begin orchestrating the passing of the baton.

Huntsman said he will spend the next few days "creating a framework" for the transition. Among the top priorities are working on the budget, which is due to be presented in mid-December, and transfusing new blood into the administration by filling Cabinet seats and other appointed positions.

The Republican chief-executive-in-waiting also will be meeting with legislative leaders to smooth the way for the annual lawmaking session that gets under way Jan. 17, two weeks after Huntsman is sworn in.

"I'm going to engage immediately in consultation with legislative leaders. We're going to build bridges and relationships there," said Huntsman. "I wasn't necessarily the candidate of the Legislature. I do have friends in the Legislature."

Legislative leadership, however, also is in flux.

State senators and representatives will elect new leaders next week, with Senate President Al Mansell and House Speaker Marty Stephens, both Republican, stepping down from those posts.

Huntsman also will spend some time consulting with other governors - including Massachusetts Republican Gov. Mitt Romney - about what he needs to do to achieve a smooth transition. The National Governors Association is holding orientation sessions next week, which Huntsman will attend, said spokesman Jason Chaffetz. A few days later, he plans on heading to New Orleans, for meetings of the Republican Governors Associa- tion.

"There is no planned day off until Thanksgiving," said Chaffetz. "No can do."

Huntsman ran on an economic revitalization platform and part of that is his promise to run state government more like a business. While he hasn't yet named names, Huntsman indicates he will be recruiting some of his Cabinet members from the executive suites of private firms.

"We are going to put a team together that is second to none. We're going to reach into every corner of this community and we're going to pull people out into public service who have never thought about serving their state before," said Huntsman, who served as an ambassador under two Republican presidents.

When Walker took over from then Gov. Mike Leavitt a year ago, she retained all of Leavitt's department heads and top officials. A few have since left, knowing their tenure would be up with an incoming administration.

Nearly 570 managers serve at the will of the governor, without benefit of civil-service protection. All could be shown the door by Huntsman, although the pink slips usually are concentrated on a core of about 165 department and division directors, deputies, commissioners and the governor's immediate staff.

One person who may serve as an unofficial adviser is Huntsman's just-vanquished Democratic rival, Scott Matheson Jr.

"He knows I'm going to call on him for help and advice from time to time," Huntsman said. "They're good people and they have been dedicated to a state that we all love."

He said he intends to grab a hamburger with Matheson in the next few days to talk about issues.

Matheson said in a radio interview Wednesday that he would be willing to help Huntsman in any way he could. But the University of Utah law school dean intends to return to that job, from which he took a leave of absence to campaign full time.

Asked about his own political future, Matheson said Tuesday night that he had given it no thought, but wouldn't rule anything out.

While putting key advisers and staff in place is Huntsman's first order of business, plunging into deliberations over the state's $8 billion-plus budget is a close second. Huntsman hopes to work with Walker to blend some of his priorities into the plan, but it is improbable to expect a "pure Huntsman budget" in such a short time, Chaffetz said.

"We're going to run an open, transparent affair," said Huntsman. "Not bringing any baggage that comes with politics is an advantage. . . . I'm just bringing a clean slate with a fresh attitude and a new perspective."

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Tribune reporters Matt Canham and Brandon Griggs contributed to this story.