Bismarck accountant to take over lead role at North Dakota budget office

BISMARCK — Susan Sisk, an accountant from Bismarck, will soon become the director of North Dakota's Office of Management and Budget.

Gov. Doug Burgum announced Tuesday, May 9, he appointed Sisk, who will assume the new role on June 12. Sisk will take over from Joe Morrissette, who retired from his full-time duties in August but stayed on in a part-time capacity through the legislative session.

The office is charged with overseeing the state's budget, managing human resources services to state agencies and maintaining state facilities.

Sisk comes into the office's top spot after years of working the public and private sectors. She has worked as a financial executive for engineering firm KLJ and health care giant CHI St. Alexius. She also served as the state Supreme Court's director of finance in the 2000s.

Sisk earned her undergraduate degree in accounting from Minot State University before getting a master's degree in business from Troy University in Montgomery, Alabama.

Burgum said Sisk brings "a wealth of experience in overseeing the budgets of large organizations and strategically leading teams to achieve sound fiscal management."

“With over 30 years of experience in finance and accounting, including several executive roles, her skills will serve the citizens of North Dakota well as we continue working to create a more efficient and effective state government to empower people, improve lives and inspire success," Burgum said.

Sisk said she looks forward to helping the agency "build upon their recent progress in enhancing efficiency and transparency, offering shared services, process improvement and automation to reduce costs for state agencies, and providing uniformity of policies and training.”