Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has tapped a familiar face to serve as his budget director, naming former House Speaker Mark Ferrandino to head the Governor’s Office of State Planning and Budgeting, Polis’ office announced Monday.

The executive director of the state Department of Revenue since November 2020, Ferrandino takes over for Lauren Larson, who announced last month that she’s departing as budget director after five years in the position.

“Colorado’s economy is thriving and Mark is well-positioned to help propel our shared efforts with the legislature to ensure we have a more affordable, safer, cleaner Colorado today and for future generations,” Polis said in a statement.

“I am delighted to welcome Mark to this new role and look forward to working with the Joint Budget Committee and state legislature to build off the work Lauren Larson started to maintain strong budgetary reserves for a rainy day, to help save people money, and to craft a state budget that continues to build a Colorado for all.”

Ferrandino, a Denver Democrat, was a member of the legislature’s powerful Joint Budget Committee before his election as House speaker for the last of his four terms in the Colorado House of Representatives. After he was term-limited in 2015, Ferrandino served as Denver Public Schools’ deputy superintendent of operations and chief financial officer.

“Setting budgets and funding priorities are among the most powerful tools governments have to make transformational change, and I am thrilled to begin serving in this position on behalf of Governor Polis, his administration, and Coloradans,” Ferrandino said in a statement.

“In partnership with the governor and state legislature, I look forward to bettering people’s lives through responsible budgeting.”

Ferrandino, who had previously worked as a budget analyst for the state, was appointed in 2007 to fill a vacancy in Denver-based House District 2 and easily won reelection three times. He was the first openly gay male lawmaker to serve in Colorado’s General Assembly.

Polis’ office said the administration will announce the process to fill the department of revenue position soon.