Misty Ann Giles, director of Montana’s Department of Administration, will step down at the end of August, as announced in a recent press release from Governor Greg Gianforte’s office. Mark Blasdel, current head of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and former Flathead Valley lawmaker, will succeed her. The Department of Administration manages critical functions like human resources, state accounting, and IT services.
The agency also oversees the Montana Lottery, manages employee benefits, and handles Capitol event permits. Giles has led the department since 2021. A native Georgian, Giles previously served as an adviser to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue before being recruited by Gianforte. “I got poached into the job I have now,” Giles shared with The CEO Magazine. “I fell in love with his vision of government.”
Giles, who was appointed as Montana’s first Chief Operating Officer, shared the governor’s philosophy of running government like a business. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she managed state employees’ return to office and implemented a significant federal investment in rural broadband.
In 2025, Giles faced legislative scrutiny concerning the Montana Lottery’s vendor selection and a $170,100 contract approval involving Senate President Jason Ellsworth.
Neither Giles nor Blasdel responded to interview requests. Blasdel, who has held various legislative roles since 2007, including Speaker of the House and Senate President, has led the Governor’s Office of Economic Development since 2022. He will assume his new role as DOA director in September.
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