Topeka ? The Kansas Senate on Wednesday officially confirmed Sam Williams as secretary of the Kansas Department of Revenue.

Williams, a retired businessman from Wichita, had been serving as the acting secretary since December after Gov. Sam Brownback appointed former Secretary Nick Jordan to lead an economic advisory group.

Before his appointment, Williams had led two special task forces for the state. One was formed by the Legislature in 2014 to study ways public schools could be more efficient in their operations. The second was formed by Brownback last year to study ways to improve the state’s revenue-estimating process.

Before retiring from the private sector, Williams spent 25 years as managing partner and chief financial officer at Sullivan, Higdon and Sink Marketing and Advertising Agency.

Since taking over the Department of Revenue, Williams has been an outspoken defender of the tax cuts Brownback championed in 2012.

The Senate vote on his confirmation was 37-3. Democratic Sens. Anthony Hensley and Laura Kelly of Topeka and Lynn Rogers of Wichita voted no.