Pity poor Gov.-elect Jon Huntsman Jr.

While Donald Trump only had to find one apprentice on his popular television show this season, the new governor faces filling more than 650 appointed positions in state government when he takes office next month.

Of course, Huntsman won't personally utter the words, "You're hired," to every one of those employees. The governor typically names only the members of his or her own staff and the bosses of the various state agencies.

Still, that adds up to some 100 positions. Some, including the governor-elect's closest advisers, have already been announced. But so far, there's been no word on which department heads will be asked to stay on through the new administration.

That's because a transition team established by Huntsman shortly after the election is still busy at work. The 100-plus transition team members are looking at more than a dozen areas of government and are scheduled to report back later this week.

Even then, though, Huntsman may not reveal his choices for the state's top jobs. The governor-elect has planned a retreat with legislative leaders after Christmas where the appointments will likely be discussed before being made public.

This is, in reality, the first change in administration in 12 years. Gov. Olene Walker, who took over in 2003 for former Gov. Mike Leavitt midway through his third term when he resigned to take a job with the Bush administration, had served as his lieutenant governor.

It's the department heads, for the most part, who'll decide whether to keep the rest of the state's appointed employees — although certainly the names of agency heads are run past the governor for an aye or nay before final hires are made.

Unlike other state employees, those who are appointed — or exempt — serve at the pleasure of the administration. And from executive secretaries to department heads, they number more than 650.

Not all their jobs are really up for grabs, though. For example, the governor appoints (and the Senate confirms) the four full-time state tax commissioners. The commission, in turn, hires the executive director of the Utah State Tax Commission, an exempt position.

But there are 23 other Tax Commission jobs filled by appointments. The governor clearly says who the commissioners are and, in some rare cases, may have input on who the commission hires as executive director.

However, Huntsman will not likely get involved in the hiring of a "public information officer III" — as one lower-level job is described. Even though that PIO is officially a non-merit employee position, it would not be assumed that the Tax Commission's spokesman would submit a resignation, or even consider leaving the job.