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Walter A. Baran was the Secretary of the Department of General Services under
Governor Richard Thornburgh. During his tenure, Baran directed the East Wing
Capitol Expansion project and also chaired Governor Thornburgh's Cost Reduction
Team. Born June 18, 1924 in Frackville, Pennsylvania, he earned a Doctor of
Humane Letters from Alliance College in 1982 and served on the Council of State
Governments' State-Federal Committee, Kosciuszko Foundation of New York City,
and received the National Governors' Association Award for Distinguished Service
to State Government in 1982. The Department of General Services is the central
maintenance, purchasing, publishing and building construction agency for departments
and agencies of the Commonwealth. It was created by Act 45 of 1975 amending
the Administrative Code to merge the powers and duties of the Department of
Property and Supplies with those of the General State Authority. The Secretary
of the Department of General Services is appointed by the Governor with the
advice and consent of the Senate. He is an ex officio member of the General
State Authority, the State Public School Building Authority, the Pennsylvania
Transportation Assistance Authority, and the Pennsylvania Higher Education Facilities
Authority. He is also the Insurance Broker of Record for the Commonwealth and
Secretary to the Board of Commissioners of Public Grounds and Buildings.
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