Statement from the Comptroller's office:

Tennessee Comptroller Justin P. Wilson announced today in Bristol the addition of former House Majority Leader Jason Mumpower to his staff. Mumpower will serve as the Executive Assistant to the Comptroller. His duties will include serving as a liaison to the General Assembly, representing the Comptroller on several boards and commissions and dealing with the overall management of the Comptroller’s office.

“I am honored to join Comptroller Wilson, serving alongside him to protect the interests of Tennessee taxpayers,” Mumpower said. “This opportunity will allow me to work with the department to reduce waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer money, while also protecting the fiscal well-being of the state.”

Mumpower will join the office Dec. 14, before the General Assembly reconvenes in January.
“We are delighted that Jason will be joining our staff,” Comptroller Wilson said. “He will bring an invaluable level of expertise and a wealth of knowledge of state finances and operations. Due to the challenging budget year we face, this is perhaps more important now than ever before.”

Mumpower previously served 14 years as the state representative for Sullivan and Johnson counties in the General Assembly. During his tenure, he also held the positions of House Majority Leader and House Minority Leader. He served in key roles on the House Finance, Ways and Means Committee and the House Budget Committee. He is a graduate of King College with a major in economics and a minor in political science. He is also an Eagle Scout and is active in many community organizations and projects, including the Rotary Club of Bristol, TN/VA and the chambers of commerce in Kingsport, Bristol and Johnson County.

The Comptroller of the Treasury is a constitutional officer elected in a joint vote of both houses of the General Assembly for two-year terms. State law prescribes the Comptroller’s duties, which include the audit of state and local government entities and participation in the general financial and administrative management and oversight of state government. The Comptroller also is a member of various committees, boards and authorities.

As originally posted:

Former Tennessee House Republican Majority Leader Jason Mumpower will be named Deputy Comptroller of Tennessee as early as Friday morning, NashvillePost.com sources have confirmed.

The appointment places him in the office of State Comptroller Justin Wilson, who as a constitutional officer is appointed by the Tennessee General Assembly, and is not part of the incoming administration of Republican Gov.-elect Bill Haslam.

Mumpower had represented the 3rd District, which consists of all of Johnson County and part of Sullivan County, in the Tennessee House of Representatives since 1997.

In 2006, he was elected the Republican Minority Leader and served as a member of the House Health and Human Resources Committee, the Government Operations Committee, and Finance, Ways and Means. Prior to being elected leader, he served as Republican Caucus Assistant Leader.

Following the 2008 election, Republicans held a slim 50-49 advantage over Democrats within the House and it was anticipated that Mumpower would be the elected Speaker of the House in 2009. However, Mumpower lost the House Speaker election to fellow Republican Kent Williams of Carter County.

Mumpower announced he would not seek re-election in 2010.

A graduate of King College in Bristol, Mumpower has a bachelor's degree in economics and business administration. Until this appointment, he had been employed by Corporate Image Inc., a public relations and marketing firm in Bristol, as well as NWP Real Estate Appraisals of Rogersville.