Oklahoma Capitol—The Human Services Commission voted today to offer Edward Lake the position of Director of the Department of Human Services. The Commission held a special meeting to interview Lake in executive session and afterward voted to offer him the position. Lake's salary will be $185,000 per year along with a one-time $5,000 signing bonus per Merit Protection Commission rules. Lake must accept the offer by 5 p.m. on Oct. 15, 2012. If he accepts, his start date as Director will be Nov. 1, 2012.

Lake, a retired deputy commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS), indicated to the Commission that he wanted to take some time to consider the offer and discuss it with his family before making a final decision. 

From Hendersonville, Tenn., Lake has experience working at almost every level of the Tennessee DHS from 1973 until retiring in 2011.  He served as a child welfare caseworker, a food stamp office supervisor, and as both a county and regional director in social services.  He served as deputy commissioner of TDHS from 1992 until 1996, as assistant commissioner from 1996 through 2003 when he was again named as deputy commissioner until his retirement in 2011. 

The Commission has been conducting a nationwide search since March to replace former Director Howard Hendrick who retired after serving nearly 14 years in the position.

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