Tenn. Insurance Commissioner Flowers Resigns

Commerce and Insurance Commissioner Paula A. Flowers announced she plans to leave Gov. Phil Bredesen’s cabinet and return to the private sector.

Bredesen was re-elected to a second term last month.

Flowers, an attorney from Monterey, was special counsel to the TennCare Oversight Division before being named commissioner.

“I am proud of the work accomplished here at the department, and I salute the integrity and dedication of the employees of the Department of Commerce and Insurance,” Flowers said in a statement.

Bredesen said Flowers had not personally notified him yet of her resignation, but said he had talked with her about the possibility of her resigning.

“I’m sorry to see her go. She’s a good commissioner,” he said following a Monday budget hearing. “When we’d talked about it before, I think finance issues are part of it. She’s in a field and has a background where she can make an awful lot more money in the private sector. I’m grateful for the four years that she’s given us.”