Gooch Appointed Utah’s Acting Insurance Commissioner

Acting Commissioner Announced Neal T. Gooch has been appointed as acting insurance commissioner of the Utah Insurance Department. Governor Gary R. Herbert said the appointment would extend “until the selection of a permanent Commissioner is made.”

Former Commissioner D. Kent Michie retired in January after five years of service as commissioner of the Utah State Insurance Department and 21 years as state financial advisor. In April, he and his wife Barbara Gruman will serve an 18-month mission in the Helsinki, Finland LDS Temple.

Gooch has had extensive experience with the Insurance Department. Beginning in 1986 while serving in the Attorney General’s Office, he was made general counsel to the insurance department. He served in that capacity until August of 1997, when appointed by Commissioner Merwin U. Stewart as deputy commissioner then asked to continue in that capacity by Commissioner D. Kent Michie in 2005.