Leslie Kirwan, the Governor’s choice to head the Executive Office of Administration and Finance, fills the Patrick administration’s most significant and powerful post - budget director.

Because of the importance of this post, Kirwan was actually named a full month prior to Patrick taking office. At that point, she became fully involved in the FY ’08 state budget, effective this July, which the Governor was required to file by February 28.

Prior to her new job, Kirwan was director of administration and finance and secretary-treasurer of the Massachusetts Port Authority, a position she held since 1999. In that role she was also the ex officio member of the MassPort Retirement Board.

Kirwan, 49, began her professional career at the Mass. Department of Revenue. Moving up the ladder, in 1991 she became deputy commissioner for the Division of Local Services.

Under the Weld administration, she served as undersecretary and chief of staff of the Executive Office of Administration and Finance, before going to MassPort. Her previous experience at A&F has enabled her to hit the ground running.

“Leslie Kirwan is no stranger to us,” said Association Legislative Liaison Shawn Duhamel. “She knows where we are coming from and will be responsible for putting a cost figure on legislation going to the governor for signing. Unlike the previous administration, which brought a budget director from the private sector, she will require no learning curve when it comes to pension legislation.

“Kirwan will also represent Governor Patrick on the Commonwealth’s Pension Reserves Investment Management (PRIM) Board. Again, we have a person who is very familiar with the key role that PRIM plays in the investment of our pension funds.”

A second significant appointment of the new governor was that of director of government affairs which went to Michael Morris of Quincy.

Morris held the same job for State Treasurer Tim Cahill for the past four years. The transition to the governor’s office opens up a much wider spectrum of legislation for which he and his staff will be expected to monitor and, in many cases, work with the Legislature on the governor’s own legislation.