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JEFFERSON CITY — A panel of Missouri senators signed off Wednesday on two of Gov. Mike Kehoe’s picks to run his administration.

In the first of a series of confirmation hearings in the Senate, members of the Gubernatorial Appointments Committee approved former Sen. Kurt Schaefer to serve as director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and Mark James as director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety.

Also given a green light was former ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Mayor Lyda Krewson as a member of the University of Missouri Board of Curators. Krewson was picked for the board by Gov. Mike Parson last year, but has been serving in an interim position after the Senate failed to take action on her appointment last year.

Schaefer is a Columbia Republican who recently made an unsuccessful bid for Congress. He took over for DNR chief Dru Buntin when Kehoe was sworn into office last week.

Kehoe and Schaefer served together in the Legislature’s upper chamber for six years until Schaefer left in 2016 due to term limits. Schaefer was serving as chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee when he left office.

He is a former general counsel and deputy director for DNR.

Sen. Stephen Webber, D-Columbia, told the panel that Schaefer’s career has been focused on environmental policy.

“He’s cared about this for a long time,� Webber said.

Schaefer said the department is expecting some change in focus under President Donald Trump on issues including air quality and energy.

“I think we need to look at every form of energy to stay competitive,� Schaefer said. “Energy is king.�

Schaefer also said the department is planning to move forward with the conversion of a former shoe factory in Jefferson City into office space for the department’s historic preservation division.

He said he is not fully briefed on whether the agency will move forward building the cross-state Rock Island Trail, which has been stalled amid concerns from farmers over ownership of the former railroad line.

Schaefer said Echo Bluff State Park, one of the newest in the state, is his new favorite camping spot in the state park system.

“My wife and I are huge consumers of state parks. We have one of the best state park divisions in the country and I intend to do everything I can to keep it that way,� Schaefer said.

James, a Camden County resident, previously ran the Department of Public Safety agency under former Gov. Matt Blunt. He is a former Missouri State Highway Patrol officer, a federal marshal and university president.

“He is well qualified to do the job. He has lots and lots of experience,� said Sen. Mike Bernskoetter, R-Jefferson City.

“You seem like an overachiever to me,� said Senate President Cindy O’Laughlin, R-Shelbina.

Among top priorities is carrying out Kehoe’s pledge to round-up thousands of fugitives who are free on felony warrants.

“They are everywhere, in every county and that’s what we’re going to target,� James said.

He has already been in touch with police chiefs in ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ and Kansas City.

“It really is a team fight,� James said.

Other concerns include hiring and retention of troopers.

Currently, the patrol is down about 148 officers out of a possible 1,100.

“We all struggle to recruit,� James said.

The panel also confirmed Krewson, who has been serving in an interim position after the Senate failed to approve her and others amid unrelated dysfunction at the end of last year’s session.

“She has proven to be a dedicated public servant,â€� said Sen. Steve Roberts, D-ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½.

Krewson said she is excited about the possible expansion of a research reactor on the Columbia campus, as well as work on the north end zone of Faurot Field, home of the Tiger football program.

“I’m retired now so I have more time to spend on this,� Krewson said.

The full Senate could vote on the appointees as soon as Thursday.