State Treasurer Dennis McKinney has named Aaron Otto to be the next Assistant State Treasurer.

“Aaron will be a great addition to the Treasurer’s office,” McKinney said. “His experience and knowledge make him a valuable asset to the State of Kansas.”

Otto is the former Chief of Staff to the Lt. Governor and duly served as a member of the Governor’s senior staff for the last five years. His experience as a legislative liaison to the Governor had him handling policies dealing with the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Adjutant General’s Department division of Emergency Management, the Department of Agriculture, the Governor’s Homeland Security Council, the Midwest Governors Association, Kansas Mentors, and the Kansas Board of Regents.

Prior to returning to Kansas, Aaron served in the Pentagon and sea rotations both in and outside the Navy and in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. During his time in Washington, D.C., he served as Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense, on the staff of the Commander of the Atlantic Fleet, in the immediate office of the Secretary of the Navy and as the Shipbuilding Section Head for the Chief of Naval Operations overseeing an annual budget formulation of over $15 billion.

He has attended the London School of Economics, earned a diploma from the Naval War College, a bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University and a Master of Public Administration from The George Washington University. Prior to completing his master’s degree, Aaron served as a policy analyst Intern, Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior, Survey and Analytical Team Lead, The George Washington University; Director of Constituent Services in a Kansas House of Representative’s Leadership Office, a Tax Examiner & Fire and Casualty Intern with the Kansas Insurance Commissioner’s Office, and White House Intern.

Otto will assume the duties of Assistant State Treasurer beginning May 26, 2009.