Working at the agency for more than 20 years, Vicker oversaw $1.5 billion child support enforcment collections, collected a record $323 million in tax revenues from audits in 2011 and coordinated the One-Stop Business Registration program pushed by lawmakers to simplify the ability of small businesses to get started.

Gaetz, R-Niceville, called Vickers a "very solid player" who will help him take a more "subtantive approach to government operations" instead of one driven by ideology.

"Lisa and I have known each other since I first came into the Senate six years ago,'' Gaetz said Friday. "She's not a political operative. She's all substance. When it became necessary for me to start building a team Lisa was one of the first names that came to mind."

Gaetz said he will have additional annoucements in the coming weeks and hopes that it will send the message that he wants "seasoned substantive team,'' he said. "I'm not trying to build a cult of personality around Don Gaetz."