Topeka ? Gov. Sam Brownback said Thursday that he is interviewing three potential candidates to be the state’s next commerce secretary, and he plans to make an announcement sometime after completion of their background checks.

“We’ve had some good candidates. The KBI background (check) takes a long time,” Brownback said. “I wish it didn’t take so long because that would be helpful for us to get those moving through faster, but you don’t make any announcement until you’ve got those.”

The Kansas Department of Commerce has been without a permanent secretary since Pat George resigned in June. Mike Copeland, who heads the agency’s Workforce Services Division, has served as interim secretary since August. He is also mayor of Olathe.

In August, Brownback nominated Leawood businessman George Hansen to the position, but he withdrew on the eve of his confirmation hearing, citing a potential conflict of interest because a member of his extended family had significant business dealings with the agency.

The Department of Commerce is the state’s lead economic development agency. It also manages programs that provide workforce training, community development and marketing promotion for the state.

The lion’s share of the agency’s budget, 43 percent, comes from federal funding. It also receives funding from various fee funds, the state general fund and proceeds from the state lottery.

The commerce secretary post is one of two Cabinet jobs Brownback is now trying to fill. Last week, Department of Corrections Secretary Ray Roberts announced that he will retire at the end of the year.