INDIANAPOLIS (May 31, 2006) ? Governor Mitch Daniels announced today that Laura L. Forest will become executive director of the Indiana State Ethics Commission on June 5, replacing Mary Lee Comer, who will now serve as special counsel to the commission.

?Laura?s dedication to public service and high ethical standards will be an asset to this administration as we continue to strengthen ethical guidelines and reinforce the baseline principle that public service is a public trust,? said Daniels.

Forest recently completed a three-year direct commission with the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General?s Corps where she held the rank of captain. She was most recently assigned as the 3rd Recruiting Brigade Judge Advocate at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Her duties included serving as the brigade?s ethics counselor, which involved responding to ethics questions and providing annual ethics training to soldiers and federal civilian employees. Forest also participated in investigations involving alleged standards of conduct violations and worked closely with the Army?s Office of the Inspector General. Prior to her Fort Knox assignment, Forest served in Hanau, Germany as a legal assistance and claims attorney.

Forest received her undergraduate degree from Denison University and her law degree from Indiana University Law School ? Indianapolis.

Comer was appointed as executive director of the commission on April 11, 2005. She previously served 18 years as a Hendricks Superior Court judge and four years as a State of Indiana senior judge. Comer requested her new role with the commission to allow her to spend more time with her family, while continuing to serve the state in a part-time capacity.