LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s new economic development director is out after a little more than eight months on the job.

Gov. Pete Ricketts announced Thursday that Brenda Hicks-Sorensen no longer holds the position. Taylor Gage, a spokesman for Ricketts, says the decision to change leadership was made by the governor.

Ricketts says in a statement that it became clear to him that Nebraska needs to do more to market the state nationally and globally. An interim director will be named shortly, and a new search will be start right away.

Ricketts appointed Hicks-Sorensen in January after a privately funded national search. She previously served as a vice president of Economic and Community Development for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.