Wells retires as Nevada finance director; Nicks appointed

Finance Director Jim Wells will retire from state service July 13.

Gov. Brian Sandoval has named Paul Nicks, deputy director of the office, as acting finance director.

Wells has been director of the Finance Office since July 2015. Prior to that he was director of the Department of Administration, which at that time included the budget office.

Wells served as executive officer of the state Public Employees Benefits Program for more than four years and, before that, as deputy director for finance of the state Department of Education.

Although he officially retired and plans a vacation with his father to Alaska this summer, Wells is expected to return in September to help Nicks build the 2020-2021 state budget before leaving state service for good.

“Jim Wells has been a valued member of my team,” said Sandoval. “I have relied on his wise counsel and his deep understanding of the state budget process.”

Nicks has been deputy director since November 2017. Before that he was in the private sector’s aerospace industry where he managed a billion dollar budget and more than 600 employees.

It isn’t known whether Nicks will keep that post after the November elections when Nevadans will choose a new governor to replace Sandoval, who’s term limited.