Kraig Paulsen
Kraig Paulsen was appointed director of the Iowa Department of Management (DOM) on October 1, 2021, by Governor Kim Reynolds.
DOM leads and manages state budget development and oversight, performance management including strategic planning, and state government information technology. The director serves at the pleasure of the governor and must be confirmed by the Senate. The director represents the governor on various committees, including the Revenue Estimating Conference, School Budget Review Committee, and the State Appeal Board.
Previously, Paulsen served as the director of the Department of Revenue. Prior to joining Reynolds’ cabinet, he was director of both supply chain initiatives and business analytics initiatives at Iowa State University’s Ivy College of Business. He is also a former commissioner at the Iowa Department of Transportation and served in the Iowa legislature for 14 years, including five sessions as speaker of the House.
Paulsen received his bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University, his Master of Business Administration from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and a law degree from the University of Iowa.
He honorably served in the United States Air Force, where, among other duties he was a missile combat crew commander, operations group senior weapon system instructor, flight commander, and squadron director of operations.
Additionally, Paulsen worked as a production supervisor in a manufacturing plant, practiced law privately, and served as corporate counsel at CRST International in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.