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Zellers promoted to Department of Revenue director

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — After roughly half a year leading the Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR), Ken Zellers’s position is now official. 

Gov. Mike Parson named Zellers as the head of the department on Wednesday after serving as the acting director since March. 

“The Department has made tremendous strides in the areas of customer service and process improvement,” Zellers said in a statement. “I look forward to working alongside the DOR team, my Cabinet colleagues, and the Legislature as we continue to make Missouri the best state to live, work, raise a family, and conduct business.”

After the resignation of Joel Walters, then-DOR Chief Operating Officer Zellers was named by Parson as acting director. Walters — who was appointed to the post in April 2017 by then-Gov. Eric Greitens — his last day was March 22, 2019. 

In the lead up to Walters resignation, DOR was the focus of the House Special Committee on Government Oversight’s investigation into a tax withholding issue contributing to lagging revenues.

“Ken brings many years of valuable leadership experience to the Department of Revenue and has more than proved himself as Acting Director,” Parson said in a statement. “I have full confidence that the Department will continue to improve and provide great service to the people of Missouri under his leadership as Director.” 

Zellers left Anheuser-Busch almost two years ago to accept the post at the department. As COO, he oversaw operations and procedures and served on the governor’s extended Cabinet. He came on board in August 2017.

At Anheuser-Busch InBev, he last worked as Global Director of Operations Brewing and Quality. Zellers worked for InBev for just more than nine years, working his way up from human resources and quality control.

Zellers was born and raised in Missouri and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Missouri Baptist University in St. Louis.

Zellers is the second new department director since Parson took over as the state’s chief executive. Just more than a year ago, Parson named Col. Sandra K. Karsten, the superintendent of the Missouri Highway Patrol, as the director of the Department of Public Safety.