Acting Gov. Eloy S. Inos said the position of Finance secretary is difficult to fill as it is hard to find somebody willing to sit down and “carry the ball”
especially in these times of economic crisis. Inos, a former Finance chief himself, is very grateful that Larson accepted the responsibility.
He said he is satisfied with Larson’s job performance and he feels she is “more than qualified to be the Finance secretary.”
Press Secretary Angel A. Demapan said Larson did something no other Finance secretaries in the past had ever done. And that is helping him deliver an unprecedented message to the public about the reality of the government’s financial situation.
Demapan said he and Larson had to tell government employees that payroll would be delayed.
“It never happened before,” said Demapan. “It takes someone with her caliber to make the bold decision and stand firm on it.”
Former Public Auditor Mike Sablan said he first met Larson 20 years ago when she was a high school intern at DFS.
At that time, Sablan said he could already tell that Larson was a hardworking person.
Sablan said he had the chance to work with Larson again when she became an analyst at the Office of Public Auditor.
He praised her intelligence and diligence.
“I was relieved when I heard about her nomination as Finance secretary,” Sablan said.
Attorney General Edward Buckingham said the Finance secretary has a very challenging job.
He noted Larson’s high standards of professionalism and work ethics.
“I’m grateful she’s willing to accept this responsibility,” Buckingham said.
Virginia Villagomez, the governor’s special assistant for management and budget, said she worked with Larson at DFS as a high school intern.
“During the limited period that she was there, she had the opportunity at a young age to experience the pressure required of us to meet our reporting requirements to the president of the company and the corporate offices of the company’s sales performance for the previous day. She was very diligent in handling multi-tasking responsibilities within the vault and I can attest today she is a person we trust with money,” Villagomez said.
Larson said it’s been an honor and a privilege to work at Finance. It is a humbling experience, she added.
She said everybody is aware of the “enormous financial sacrifices” that many have to make now.
She said she has to deal with this reality on a daily basis.
