"Gregg Buxton's résumé is ideally suited for the work he will be doing in state government," said the governor's spokesman, Mike Mower.

Buxton, a retired general contractor and developer, will resign from his Roy seat in April to take the job, which pays $104,208.

"They first approached me about a year ago. I told them no. They just talked to me and talked to me until I consented to do it," Buxton said, adding his new job goes "hand-in-hand" with his former chairmanship.

During the recent legislative session, the three-year Republican House member sponsored a bill that expands the power of the director of the Facilities Construction and Management Division.

Buxton's measure raises the cap on expenditures the director can authorize without legislative approval. It increases the cap on renovation and remodelling projects, for instance, from $1.25 million to $2.5 million before legislative oversight is required.

Buxton said raising the cap was overdue to keep up with construction cost inflation and was not a conflict of interest. "I didn't confirm anything until after the session was over - so everything was up and up."

When he was a general contractor, Buxton says he built gymnasiums in Roy, and custom homes and commercial developments "mostly under $5 million."

As director of capital facilities, Buxton will be responsible for $100 million in capital improvement projects, $590 million in design projects, $560 million in construction and a staff of 164 employees overseeing 250 state buildings.

"I'll have the connections with all my friends [in the Legislature]," said Buxton, "which will help me in doing my job for the state."

Mower said that Buxton's effectiveness as a lobbyist for the executive branch was only one consideration in hiring him, along with his understanding of the legislative process and private sector construction issues.

Buxton is the fourth legislator Huntsman has hired in an administrative position. Former Rep. Mike Styler is director of the Natural Resources Department, former Sen. Leonard Blackham is Agriculture Commissioner and former Sen. Beverly Evans has a staff position in the Economic Development Office.

Former Rep. Jeff Alexander has an unpaid job in business recruitment for the Economic Development Office.