More than a year after his nomination as Pennsylvania insurance commissioner, the State Senate has finally eliminated the "acting" in front of Joel Ario's title.
Mr. Ario, who was formerly Oregon insurance commissioner, was confirmed for his Pennsylvania post at 11 p.m. Thursday on a 50-0 vote a day before the legislature adjourned for the summer.
Doug Furness, the insurance department's director of legislative affairs, by way of explaining the delay in making Mr. Ario permanent said Pennsylvania's legislature moves cautiously and "they took their time to get to know him."
Mr. Ario had plenty of occasions to meet the senators. He went to work in an acting capacity immediately after his June 12, 2007 nomination by Democratic Gov. Edward Rendel and has testified at least four times before the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee on various issues, Mr. Furness said.
This morning his agency was still adjusting to Mr. Ario's new status. The departmental Web site still listed him as "acting" commissioner.
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